The Home Secretary is poised to amend a decades-old law to allow the deportation of a Rochdale grooming gang leader who was released from prison last week.
Shabana Mahmood is expected to outline plans on Monday to change a 1971 statute that currently prevents the removal of Shabir Ahmed, 73, from the UK, according to reports.
Ahmed was released on July 2, having served 14 years of a 19-year sentence. He was convicted in 2012 for rape and sexual offenses against girls, some as young as 12.
The proposed legal changes, first reported by The Telegraph, could come as separate fast-tracked legislation or as an amendment to the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which is scheduled for debate in the Commons on Monday. A Home Office minister indicated earlier this week that emergency legislation was under consideration.
Alex Norris said “all options are on the table” as the Conservatives urged him to adopt an amendment to the Bill put forward by the shadow home secretary.
Ahmed is currently exempt from deportation but Mr Norris said the Government would not give up in its efforts to deport Ahmed due to his “heinous” crimes.
The Government has been examining ways to deport Ahmed since his release last week. The 1971 law forbids the removal of a small group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago.
Reports have suggested Pakistan might not accept Ahmed because he had previously renounced his citizenship, but a Number 10 spokesperson confirmed it has raised the issue with officials in Islamabad.
Victims have shared their fears about Ahmed’s release. One, identified only as “Ruby”, is being supported by The Maggie Oliver Foundation, set up by an ex-police detective turned whistleblower over grooming gangs.
Ruby said: “I’m scared for my safety and my kids’ safety.
“Even if he’s not in that area, he still knows people and has a chance to talk to people from that area and that makes me unsafe.”
In a statement issued through the foundation, Ruby said victims of abuse had been given “false promises” and left to “fend for themselves” through a lack of support from the authorities, and called for a change in the law to get grooming gang members deported.
