Shabir Ahmed: Child sex gang leader appealing against deportation

Shabir Ahmed

Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a child sex grooming gang who preyed on girls as young as 13 in Rochdale, plying them with drink and drugs before "passing them around" for sex, is appealing against deportation from Britain on human rights grounds.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/70870/child-sex-ringleader-revealed

Ahmed, 63, who is serving a 22-year jail sentence after being found guilty of 30 child rape charges in 2012, claimed his conviction was a conspiracy to "scapegoat" Muslims, the First Tier Immigration Tribunal, sitting at Manchester Crown Court, heard.

He is appealing against a decision to strip him of UK citizenship - loss of citizenship is the first first stage in the deportation process.

Ahmed, who first came to the UK in 1967 aged 14, was a British citizen but would not be stateless as he retains Pakistani nationality.

He said he had lived in the UK for nearly 50 years with four children in the country and £83,000 in a bank account.

Presiding tribunal Judge Michael Clements reserved his decision and the appeal of a second man, Qari Abdul Rauf, 47, a taxi driver and father of five.

He was released on licence last year after serving half of a six-year sentence for trafficking a girl, aged 15, in the UK for sex, and having sex with her.

Two men from Rochdale, convicted of child sex offences in the same case, Abdul Aziz and Adil Khan, will have their appeals heard in Manchester today (Wednesday 17 February).

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/69482/child-sex-trial-nine-found-guilty-of-child-sex-charges