Shabir Ahmed, one of the men convicted over the Rochdale child sexual exploitation scandal, is expected to be released from prison in July 2026 under strict licence conditions, according to correspondence sent to a victim through the Victim Contact Scheme.
The correspondence says he will be subject to an exclusion zone covering Rochdale Borough, a non-contact condition and supervised accommodation after his release.
Ahmed was jailed in 2012 after being convicted of multiple rape and child sexual abuse offences. He was identified by prosecutors as a leading figure in the group of men convicted of sexually exploiting girls in Rochdale and the surrounding area.
A BBC report published at the time said Ahmed received a further 22 year prison sentence for 30 child rape offences. That sentence ran concurrently with an earlier 19 year prison term imposed after convictions linked to the wider Rochdale grooming gang investigation.
Correspondence seen by Roch Valley Radio and sent through the Victim Contact Scheme states Ahmed's expected release date is 2 July 2026.
The email says he will remain subject to a licence until 10 June 2034.
According to the correspondence, his licence conditions include an exclusion zone covering the Borough of Rochdale and a non contact condition for the duration of his licence.
The correspondence also states Ahmed will be required to live in a 24 hour staffed placement after his release. It says arrangements are in place for the accommodation provider to contact local police if safeguarding concerns arise involving victims linked to the scheme.
The correspondence also addresses Ahmed's immigration status.
It states the Home Office has advised that he cannot be deported because legal protections under the Immigration Act 1971 apply in his case. The explanation provided says he is a Pakistani national who arrived in the United Kingdom before 1973 and had lived in the country for the qualifying period before deportation was considered.
The correspondence further states Ahmed has been deprived of British citizenship following unsuccessful legal proceedings challenging that decision. It adds that immigration detention cannot lawfully be used because removal from the United Kingdom is not legally possible.
The email says specialist legal advice has been obtained on the case and concludes that all available legal routes relating to deportation have been explored.
Roch Valley Radio has approached the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office for comment, but no reply was received prior to publication.
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