UK MPs Push for Deportation of Convicted Grooming Gang Leader

UK legislators are pressing the Home Office and Foreign Office to remove a convicted rapist and people‑trafficker from the country, following news that he has been unexpectedly freed from prison.

Shabir Ahmed received a 19‑year term in May 2012 for heading a child‑sex exploitation ring. Court findings concluded that over a decade he raped or assisted in the rape of numerous girls in Rochdale and Oldham, towns in northwest England close to Manchester. He was convicted together with eight other defendants.

Aged 73, Ahmed holds dual British‑Pakistani citizenship, which was revoked after his conviction.

The BBC reported on Thursday that Ahmed had left prison, though the reason for his early release after serving 14 years was unclear. The Ministry of Justice declined to confirm the release but said victims had been informed.

The ministry added that Ahmed would be fitted with an electronic monitor, placed under a curfew and barred from specific locations and from contacting any child or young person.

The Home Office, responsible for immigration and security, said it was “currently working with colleagues across government to explore all possible options to deport this vile criminal.”

As previous administrations have discovered, deportation requires the consent of the receiving nation, which “has not always been possible in some countries,” the statement noted.

Politicians have voiced concern on social media and in interviews, warning that a legal “loophole” could hinder Ahmed’s removal. The Ministry of Justice explained that a 1971 immigration statute bars the government from deporting certain Commonwealth immigrants, such as those from Pakistan.

The Pakistani Embassy in London has not yet replied to a request for comment.

Over a decade ago, a “grooming gangs” scandal emerged when groups of men, often of Pakistani heritage, were found to have preyed on vulnerable girls across several English towns and cities. Authorities faced criticism for inadequate victim protection and investigation, prompting multiple prosecutions and official inquiries.

When local outlets reported Ahmed’s imminent release, the reaction was swift and highly critical.

Jim McMahon, MP for one of the affected constituencies, expressed his disgust during Tuesday’s parliamentary debate and demanded Ahmed’s removal from the UK.

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and a leading candidate to succeed Prime Minister Keir Starmer, posted on Wednesday: “Like everyone, I want this vile criminal out of the country. Victims must come first.” He added that he would push the home and foreign secretaries to “review all possible options.”

The public outcry over Ahmed’s release coincides with heightened anti‑immigrant rhetoric from conservative politicians.

In June, violent protests broke out in southern England following the release of footage showing officers restraining a stabbing victim while his Sikh attacker stood by.

Although the attacker was British‑born and raised, far‑right groups exploited the incident to fuel anti‑immigrant demonstrations.

Less than a week later, anti‑immigrant rioters in Northern Ireland assaulted police officers and set fire to homes and vehicles following the charging of a Sudanese man with attempted murder in a knife attack in Belfast.

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