Arabic version: الحكومة البريطانية تتحرك لترحيل زعيم عصابة الاستغلال شابير أحمد

The UK government will change the law so grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed can be deported. According to BBC News, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to set out on Monday how she plans to amend the 1971 Immigration Act, which currently stops Ahmed’s removal from the UK.

Ahmed, 73, was jailed for 22 years in August 2012 for a number of child sexual offences including rape. He was released on licence last week, causing concern among his victims, who expressed feelings of fear and insecurity following his return to the community. Known to his victims as “Daddy”, Ahmed had dual British-Pakistani citizenship but was stripped of the former following his 2012 conviction.

Upon his release, Ahmed was sent to 24-hour staffed accommodation and fitted with a GPS electronically monitored tag. The government has stated that any breach of Ahmed’s strict licence conditions would result in him being immediately returned to prison.

Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, has been urging the government to back an amendment to the Immigration and Asylum Bill that would allow Ahmed to be deported. Home Office minister Alex Norris told MPs the government would not give up in its efforts to deport Ahmed for his “heinous” crimes. However, it is not known how long it would take to change the law, but one government source suggested it could potentially be up to a year. Additionally, it is understood there is currently no agreement in place with Pakistan to allow the UK to return Ahmed there.