Shabir Ahmed: Rochdale grooming gang leader ‘could be deported’

Norris, who confirmed reports Ahmed was released wearing a GPS electronically monitored tag, said having arrived in the UK before 1971 he was exempt under immigration legislation introduced in 1973 to protect citizens in the UK “most notably the Windrush generation”.

He added foreign nationals are usually deported for committing the kind of “heinous” crime like Ahmed’s and the fact his has not been possible so far was “unacceptable”.

Norris said “I can assure the house we have not given up and will not,” adding the nature of the offending demands we examine all options” and this included looking at possible amendment to the Immigration and Asylum Bill which is before the Commons next week,

Ahmed, who came to the UK in the late 1960s, held dual British and Pakistani citizenship at he time he was convicted.

His British citizenship was stripped by the courts after he was jailed, and it was expected he would be deported when his sentence was complete.

Last week victims of the gang were told provisions under the Immigration Act 1971 barred the removal of any Commonwealth citizen who arrived in the UK before 1973 and had been in the country for five years.