Government to change law in bid to deport Rochdale grooming gang ringleader

Wednesday, 8 July 2026 19:44

By David Murphy

The government plans to change immigration law to allow the deportation of the released ringleader of a Rochdale child sexual exploitation gang after existing legislation prevented his removal from the UK.

The proposed change is expected to be announced by the Home Secretary on Monday.

Shabir Ahmed, 73, was released on licence last week after serving part of a 22 year prison sentence imposed in 2012 for child sexual offences including rape.

Ahmed, who was known to some of his victims as “Daddy”, held dual British and Pakistani citizenship before his British citizenship was removed following his conviction.

Despite that, he has not been deported because provisions within the Immigration Act 1971 protect certain Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 and had lived in the country for at least five years.

The government now intends to amend that legislation so Ahmed can be considered for deportation.

Following his release from prison, Ahmed was placed in accommodation with round the clock staffing and fitted with a GPS monitoring tag. The Home Office said he is subject to strict licence conditions including exclusion zones, an electronically monitored curfew and the requirements of the sex offenders register.

The government has said any breach of those licence conditions would result in Ahmed being returned to prison.

Home Office minister Alex Norris told MPs this week that the government would continue its efforts to deport Ahmed because of what he described as his “heinous” crimes.

The timetable for changing the law is not yet confirmed, although government sources have suggested the process could take up to a year. It is also understood there is currently no agreement with Pakistan covering Ahmed’s return.

Ahmed was one of nine men convicted over the sexual exploitation of girls as young as 13 linked to takeaway restaurants in the Heywood area of Rochdale.

Some victims have said they feel frightened and unsafe following his release.

Billy Howarth, who supports survivors of child sexual exploitation, said he has worked with two of Ahmed’s victims since 2014.

He said, “They believe he is the most evil man they know.”

He added, “Both girls are in crisis at the moment. They are frightened for their lives at this moment in time.”