Rochdale grooming gang victim says she is 'scared for her safety' after hearing ringleader will soon walk free from prison - and that he can't be deported

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 02:02, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 02:03, 1 July 2026 A victim of the Rochdale grooming gang has said she is 'scared for her safety' after learning the ringleader of her abusers will walk free from prison in days. Shabir Ahmed, 73, was convicted of 30 child rapes and jailed in 2012 to serve concurrent sentences of 19 and 22 years. But he will be released on Thursday after just 14 years, his victims were told in a letter. And rather than being deported - as his victims were told would happen after he left prison - Ahmed will be allowed to stay in the country and live in the community, under restrictions. One of the survivors of the grooming in Rochdale described her fear at the idea of Ahmed prowling the streets, and her disbelief at the system's failure to get rid of him as promised. It has emerged that she previously ran into another of her abusers at a supermarket, having not known he had been released from prison.  The victim, known as Ruby (not her real name), told BBC Newsnight: 'I was 12 years old when this started and still getting failed. 'There are broken victims because of a broken system. I am scared for my safety and my children’s safety. Shabir Ahmed, 73, will be released from prison on July 2 - but cannot be deported Ahmed will not be allowed to enter Rochdale until 2034 - but his victim says he can still contact people there 'The main ringleader, who is well known in Rochdale, Oldham and Middleton, is being released from prison.  'Even if he is not in those areas, he still knows people and could contact them, which makes me feel unsafe.' A clause in the 1971 Immigration Act prevents the government deporting Ahmed, because it protects Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 from removal. Ruby questioned why the country was still blindly following legislation set 55 years ago. She said: 'At the end of the trial, we were told they would all be deported once released, but not one of them has been deported. 'We need these laws to be updated.  'Laws need to change, and victims need to be heard.' Ahmed was one of nine men convicted of sexual offences against multiple children, who they groomed at two takeaway restaurants in Rochdale. Prosecutors identified him as one of the ringleaders. Former GMP detective Maggie Oliver said the victims have continually felt like an 'after thought' A court heard that Ahmed had abused one girl for more than a decade, using her as a 'possession' for sexual gratification. Victims learned that his conditions of release will include an exclusion zone covering the entire borough of Rochdale until June 10, 2034. He will also be required to live in supervised accommodation under the watch of 24-hour staff. It is understood that if he leaves the UK he will be barred from returning, but that he cannot simply be sent back to Pakistan because he has renounced his citizenship. Two other jailed Rochdale abusers, Qari Abdul Rauf and Adil Khan, have already been released but also cannot be deported for the same reason. Former Greater Manchester Police detective Maggie Oliver told the programme: 'I think that they're outraged and they're frightened.  'This has been 20 years of her life... and she is quite rightly scared, but feels that she is once again an afterthought.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims of these appalling crimes. 'Ahmed's horrific crimes were at the heart of the grooming gangs scandal that represents one of the darkest moments in our country's history. The most vulnerable people were abused and exploited at the hands of evil child rapists and must face the full force of the law. 'On his release he will be on the sex offender's register for life, ordered to stay away from his victims and banned from contacting any child or young person. 'As well as facing strict curfews and restriction zones, his every movement will be tracked, forced to wear an electronic tag. Should he breach his conditions, he will be immediately locked up.' 'I was 12 years old when this started and still getting failed. Twenty years on - broken victims because of a broken system - things need to change. 'There has been no support for the victims of the abused, the offender is being released from prison in less than two days.  'There is no team of people in place - despite the government saying there would be a dedicated team for victims - and that has not been done. 'There are broken victims because of a broken system. I am scared for my safety and my children’s safety. The main ringleader, who is well known in Rochdale, Oldham and Middleton, is being released from prison.  'Even if he is not in those areas, he still knows people and could contact them, which makes me feel unsafe. 'At the end of the trial, we were told they would all be deported once released, but not one of them has been deported. 'Adil Khan has absconded, and there have been no updates since - again, no support for the victims. There are always false promises which the government never delivers. 'There are thousands of victims in the UK who are not being heard or supported because of the actions of the government.  'The system is broken, yet they blame it on mental health, when our mental health is so messed up because of how victims are treated - again, with no support when abusers are released from prison.  'Victims are left to fend for themselves because there is no support. 'On the Law Act 1971 - why are we still relying on legislation from over 50 years ago when it is now 2026? We need these laws to be updated.  'Laws need to change, and victims need to be heard.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. 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