The Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has pledged to change the law in order to facilitate the deportation of Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, following mounting pressure from politicians and victims’ advocates across the country.
Ahmed, who led one of Britain’s most notorious child sexual exploitation networks, has been at the centre of a growing national controversy since his release from prison. The Pakistani-born convicted paedophile, now in his late 60s, has repeatedly fought deportation orders through the courts, exploiting human rights legislation to remain in the United Kingdom.
Ms Mahmood confirmed that the Government is actively exploring legal reforms that would close the loopholes currently preventing Ahmed’s removal from British soil. Speaking this week, she acknowledged that existing legislation has created significant obstacles for authorities seeking to deport foreign nationals convicted of serious offences, and stated that the situation was wholly unacceptable.
“We are looking very carefully at the legal framework and we will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure that dangerous individuals like Shabir Ahmed can be removed from this country,” Ms Mahmood said, signalling the Government’s intent to act swiftly on the matter.
Calls for Ahmed’s deportation have intensified in recent weeks, with senior Conservative figures and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage demanding urgent action. The issue has also reignited a broader national debate about grooming gang inquiries, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer facing sustained criticism over his handling of calls for a new statutory national inquiry into child sexual exploitation.
Ahmed was convicted in 2012 of multiple counts of rape and sexual abuse against young girls in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison and has been held in immigration detention following his release, as the Home Office has repeatedly attempted to deport him to Pakistan.
However, Ahmed has consistently challenged removal proceedings, with courts previously ruling that deportation could breach his human rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, relating to the right to family and private life.
Victims’ groups have welcomed Ms Mahmood’s comments but urged the Government to move beyond words and deliver concrete legislative action without delay. The Home Office declined to provide a specific timeline for the proposed legal changes.