Mahmood to close loophole blocking deportation of Rochdale grooming gang ringleader
Summary
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood plans to change the law to allow the UK government to deport Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, who cannot currently be removed under the 1971 Immigration Act. However, Pakistan has so far refused to accept Ahmed back, complicating the deportation process.Key Facts
- Shabir Ahmed, 73, was convicted for 30 child rape offenses and served 14 years of a 22-year sentence.
- Ahmed was released from prison last week and stripped of his British citizenship.
- The 1971 Immigration Act protects people like Ahmed from deportation if they arrived before 1973 and lived in the UK for five years.
- Mahmood aims to close this legal loophole without affecting others, such as Commonwealth citizens and the Windrush generation.
- The government is working on a legal fix but depends on Pakistan agreeing to accept Ahmed’s return.
- Pakistan refuses to take Ahmed and two other gang ringleaders back because they renounced Pakistani citizenship.
- The UK disputes Pakistan’s claim, saying Ahmed did not properly renounce his citizenship.
- The issue has been raised between UK officials and Pakistan’s government.
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