Victim Speaks Out as Ringleader Nears Release
A victim of notorious grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed has expressed fear for her children's safety as Ahmed is set to be released from prison today after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence. Ruby, who was raped more than 100 times, called on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to rewrite deportation laws to remove the Pakistani paedophile from the UK.
Deportation Loophole Blocks Removal
Ahmed cannot be deported due to a 50-year-old loophole in the Immigration Act 1971: Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 cannot be removed if they have lived in the UK continuously for five years. This has sparked outrage among victims and politicians alike.
Andy Burnham, who is expected to become Prime Minister within weeks, broke his silence on the scandal. He stated: “Like everyone, I want this vile criminal out of the country. Victims must come first. I will ask the Home and Foreign Secretaries to review all possible options - and they should consider nothing is off the table.” Burnham hinted at potential visa bans if Pakistan refuses to take back its citizens.
Victims Condemn Broken System
Ruby told the BBC: “There are thousands of victims in the UK who are not being heard or supported because of the actions of the Government. The system is broken, yet they blame it on mental health, when our mental health is so messed up because of how victims are treated – again, with no support when abusers are released from prison. Victims are left to fend for themselves because there is no support.”
She added: “On the Immigration Act 1971 – why are we still relying on legislation from over 50 years ago, when it is now 2026? We need these laws to be updated. Laws need to change, and victims need to be heard.”
Another victim said: “The release of Shabir Ahmed from prison has had a profound and debilitating impact on my life. I live in a constant state of hypervigilance, fearing for my physical safety every time I leave my home. This fear has caused severe anxiety, disrupted my sleep, and forced me to drastically alter my daily routines and social life simply to avoid a potential confrontation.”
Other Gang Members Not Deported
Two other key figures in the Rochdale grooming gang – Qari Abdul Rauf and Adil Khan – have not been deported. All three were stripped of their British citizenship after being convicted as ringleaders of the gang that sexually assaulted 47 girls over two years. The men raped girls as young as 13 after plying them with alcohol and drugs in rooms above takeaway shops and ferried them to different flats in taxis, where cash was paid to use the girls for sex.
Ruby noted: “Adil Khan has absconded, and there have been no updates since – again, no support for the victims. There are always false promises which the Government never delivers.”
Probation Conditions and Monitoring
Probation chiefs have ordered Ahmed to initially live in a property under 24/7 monitoring. He has been banned from entering Rochdale, forced to wear an electronic tag, and subjected to strict curfews. During his trial, Ahmed called the judge a “racist bastard” and took his case to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming he did not get a fair trial.
Nazir Afzal, the former chief prosecutor who led efforts to convict Ahmed, said: “After his conviction, I expected him to be deported at the end of his sentence - I looked him in the eye and saw not an ounce of remorse - the Home Office needs to find a way - it’s what his victims deserve.”
Failures by Authorities
Ruby disclosed that she told teachers, social workers, and sexual health workers of her abuse nearly every day for years, but none acted. She claimed sexual health workers even offered her different condom flavours ahead of “nights out.” Judge Gerald Clifton said victims were treated “as though they were worthless and beyond any respect” because they were not part of the gang’s community or religion. Greater Manchester Police initially denied any “racial or cultural” element, but a later report found “serious multiple failures” by police and local authorities.
Former GMP officer and campaigner Maggie Oliver said: “Ruby is quite right that we are looking to a law that is 50 years old to prevent these men from being deported. They were given promises that these men would go and that is not happening. The same conditions applied to the man who got Ruby pregnant when she was just 13. He was out of prison in less than four years. He too, was on restrictions and being monitored. He has absconded from the country.”
Home Office Response
A Home Office spokesperson stated: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims of these appalling crimes. Ahmed’s horrific crimes were at the heart of the grooming gangs scandal that represents one of the darkest moments in our country’s history. On his release, he will be on the sex offenders’ register for life, ordered to stay away from his victims and banned from contacting any child or young person. As well as facing strict curfews and restriction zones, his every movement will be tracked, and he will be forced to wear an electronic tag. Should he breach his conditions, he will be immediately locked up.”
