Three Labour MPs are urging the Justice Secretary to extend the exclusion zone of Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, to cover the entire North of England. This follows concerns raised after a recent parole board hearing deemed him a ‘real and ongoing risk’ due to his network of associates and troubling attitudes towards women.
Currently, Ahmed is electronically tagged and restricted to Rochdale and Oldham, but MPs argue that this is insufficient given the severity of his past crimes. They are particularly worried about the lack of communication regarding his release, which has left victims and local communities uninformed and vulnerable.
The MPs have also questioned the legal framework that allows for the automatic release of offenders assessed as posing serious risks. With the upcoming Sentencing Act 2026 set to release more offenders early, there are fears that similar cases could arise, further endangering public safety.
As the government considers changes to the Immigration Act 1971, the MPs are advocating for legislative reforms to ensure that the public is better protected from high-risk offenders like Ahmed, highlighting a pressing need for a review of current laws governing offender release and monitoring.
Source: GB News
