The leader of the Rochdale grooming gang has been released from prison on licence, in a development that has renewed a national debate about the removal of foreign offenders from the United Kingdom. The case has been described as being at the heart of a deportation row.
The man, named in reporting as Shabir Ahmed, is 74 years old. He was jailed for 22 years in August 2012 after being convicted of a number of child sex offences, including rape, in a case that caused widespread revulsion.
According to the account given, his victims were informed this week that he was to be let out on licence, having served 14 years of his sentence. The prospect of his release has caused deep distress to those affected by his crimes.
When he was convicted, he was stripped of his British citizenship. However, he cannot be sent back to Pakistan because of provisions in the Immigration Act 1971, which bar the removal of people who arrived in the UK from Commonwealth countries before 1973.
That legal position has become the focus of political pressure. An amendment to the government's immigration bill is being tabled with the aim of closing the loophole, so that foreign criminals in similar situations could be deported, and some MPs have voiced their support.
The Home Office indicated that he would be returned to prison if he enters Rochdale, and said it was exploring all possible options to remove him from the country. Officials framed the situation as one they were determined to address.
For the survivors, the question of removal is tied to their sense of safety, with one victim said to fear for her wellbeing as the release goes ahead. The identities of the victims are protected, and the case continues to shape debate about how the justice and immigration systems handle offenders of this kind.