by Julie Bindel, UnHerd
Yesterday, Andy Burnham made an important intervention when he demanded that ministers do everything possible to deport Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a Pakistani grooming gang. Reports earlier this week suggested that Ahmed, who has been convicted of 30 child rape offences, could not be deported due to a legal loophole in the 1971 Immigration Act.
Burnham’s comments are a promising indication of the hard stance he could take on grooming gangs. After all, he is likely to become prime minister in a few short weeks, and he will have significant power over future policy towards grooming gang offenders. But what matters is whether he actually follows through on his rhetoric and whether victims are protected in the future.
I attended part of a trial in Liverpool Crown Court, when nine men stood charged with the most horrific offences against a group of five girls. One of those men was Ahmed. All the men who appeared in court were responsible for horrendous crimes against the victims, but he was clearly one of the most dangerous.
It has been reported that, upon release, Ahmed will be compelled to adhere to strict curfews. But what many don’t seem to understand about these men is that they are organised criminals. They operate like the Italian mafia, with connections around the country and safe houses everywhere.