Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been criticised for doing "absolutely nothing" to prevent grooming gang victim Fiona Goddard from being forced to flee her home, despite repeated requests for his intervention to stop the early release of a convicted child rapist.
The Express exclusively revealed how the survivor and campaigner has been forced to abandon her home after receiving violent threats, including that her house would be "torched". The threats escalated after she was told that Mohammed Usman, one of nine men jailed for abusing her as a 14-year-old in Bradford, was being released from jail this week after serving just half his 15-year sentence.
MP's repeated pleas met with 'absolute silence'
Keighley MP Robbie Moore has repeatedly requested the new PM to intervene in the case as Fiona came under repeated threats. When no action came from Number 10, social services and police relocated her and her five children to a safe house away from Bradford.
Mr Moore said: "I think the whole situation absolutely stinks that she has even been put in this situation in the first place. It is absolutely outrageous that Usman has only served 50% of his term in prison, and then it's the victim that is suffering as a result."
When Fiona, 33, was first notified of the impending release, she contacted Mr Moore, who immediately wrote to the Prime Minister demanding urgent intervention. He says that despite following up the letter with numerous requests, he has been met with "absolute silence".
Government early release policy under scrutiny
While the government has publicly pushed a narrative that it is cracking down on early releases for serious sex offenders, Mr Moore says this only applies to inmates who were set to be released after serving just 33% of their sentences to ease prison overcrowding.
He believes the public is being misled by political spin and says constituents have written to him believing that sex offenders and paedophiles are now serving their full terms. He added: "I find it utterly incomprehensible. The Prime Minister has done nothing to help, despite being asked, repeatedly.
"It is outrageous that Fiona has been forced to move out of her own home for fear, as one of her abusers is imminently due to be released from jail after serving just half his sentence. All victims and survivors deserve justice and they should not be put through huge additional stress, pain and trauma as their perpetrators are released early, and permitted to walk free. I call on the Prime Minister again. He must act now, intervene and stop it."
Survivor speaks out on early release impact
Usman had been due to be released on Monday but that was delayed. The Express understands he has now been freed and is being housed at a hostel outside West Yorkshire under strict licence conditions.
Despite her relief at feeling safe, Fiona told the Express: "I don't feel like it should be a victim's responsibility to have to keep relocating to make sure they're safe. If a victim is not safe with the perpetrator on the outside, then the perpetrator shouldn't be let out."
The survivor, who waived her legal right to life-long anonymity to show other victims of abuse "there is nothing to be ashamed of", was abused while living in a children's home in Bradford along with another girl when they were both just 14. The gang were convicted of 22 offences including rape and inciting child prostitution after using drink, drugs and violence to groom and sexually exploit the children.
Usman, 38, was finally convicted in February 2019 of two counts of rape. Because he and fellow predators were sentenced in 2019, they narrowly missed the 2020 legislative changes that now require major violent and sexual offenders to serve 67% of their time behind bars. Four more of Fiona's abusers are slated for early release under the same 50% rule over the next twelve months.
Associates of the gang are believed to be behind the threatening messages, with one allegedly warning: "My boys are out soon... we'll come see you soon and serve some real justice."
Fiona added: "The government need to realise that early release policies turn innocent victims' lives upside down. It doesn't feel like justice. Usman was given a lengthy sentence because it was relevant to what he had put me through. Yet he has served just seven and a half of it. What does that say to me? It feels insulting."
