Calls for deportation of Shabir Ahmed - what legal hurdles may apply?

A report by the BBC (2 July 2026) tells us that - 'The ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang that targeted girls as young as 12 has been released from prison.

Shabir Ahmed, 73, who was known as 'Daddy' by his victims, was jailed for 22 years in August 2012 for a raft of child sexual offences including rape.

This week his victims were told he would be released on licence and despite earlier promises, could not be deported due to a 55-year-old law.

But Sir Keir Starmer has now asked the home secretary to review the case amid calls for the law to be changed to allow him to removed from the country.'

Rochdale grooming gang leader released from prison - BBC News

All right-thinking people

detest the criminality for which Ahmed was convicted. Not only was it particularly serious it was also extensive. The calls for his deportation are entirely understandable. The UK is a nation in which the rule of law applies. The following are notes about the relevant law. 

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The 55 year old law is the Immigration Act 1971.

Section 3 provides for deportation in some cases where the Home Secretary 'deems his deportation to be conducive to the public good.' (Please read section 3 in full)

BUT

Section 7 exempts certain 'residents' from deportation. 

The provisions came into force on 1 January 1973 and are complicated to read. 

It appears that Ahmed came to the UK in the late 1960s and held dual British and Pakistani citizenship at the time he was convicted. Later, his British citizenship was removed. 

Nonetheless, it appears that he benefits from section 7(1) because, when the 1971 Act came into force, he had been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 5 years.

An interesting "twist" here is that Pakistani nationals ceased to be Commonwealth citizens (in English law) when Pakistan left the Commonwealth on 30 January 1972 but the Pakistan Act 1973 allowed existing Pakistani national settled in the UK a grace period to register as citizens of the UK and Colonies. Pakistan re-joined the Commonwealth on 1 October 1989.

There is speculation (and political pressure) to amend the 1971 Act so that Ahmed can be deported. That would require retrospective legislation and the UK does not normally legislate in that way though there have been notable exceptions e.g. the War Damage Act 1965 which reversed the House of Lords decision in the Burmah Oil case.

Another problem facing ANY deportation is that there has to be a State willing to receive the individual. The government is reportedly in talks with Pakistan about the case. 

A further consideration is that the UK adheres to international law and does not deport individuals to States where the individual could face a real risk of persecution, torture etc. This opens a complex area of law.

We must wait and see whether the UK government is able to secure Ahmed's deportation but it appears that major steps are required to achieve it. 

Ahmed is released subject to licence conditions and breach of those can result in his return to prison - Licence Conditions and how the Parole Board use them - GOV.UK

The Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is now in operation - (previous post). The Inquiry has powers to require individuals to give evidence. Whether it will ever call any convicted individuals remains to be seen.

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Image at the top is Rochdale's Town Hall.