Latest news with #groominggang
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Rochdale grooming gang ringleaders could be deported 'in months' as Pakistan signals it's FINALLY willing to accept pair after years' refusals
Two Rochdale grooming gang ringleaders could finally be deported to Pakistan by the end of this year, officials there have revealed - after a decade's delay. British officials have been trying to deport Qari Abdul Rauf, 55, and Adil Khan, 54, following their leading roles in the grooming gangs scandal. The UK this month dropped a ban on direct flights between the two countries dating back five years yet still the two men have remained in the Greater Manchester town. But after Pakistan's government was believed to have used the pair's detention as a 'bargaining chip', there are suggestions now they could take the men back. That would be in return for Britain's decision to lift a previous five-year ban on Pakistani International Airlines. A senior Pakistani government official involved in talks on Rauf and Khan has now indicated his nation's interior ministry must now give legal clearance for their return. He was quoted by the Times as saying: 'I believe a resolution could be reached within a month or two, although there are some legal and political complexities involved. 'Currently, the case is being handled by Pakistan's interior ministry. Once they provide clearance, it will be passed to the foreign ministry, which will finalise the acceptance of Rauf and Khan.' The two groomers were at the heart of a child abuse ring where girls as young as 12 were groomed with free booze and drugs before being gang-raped. They held dual British-Pakistani citizenship but were stripped of their British nationality when they were convicted and jailed in 2012. Both men then renounced their Pakistani citizenship, in a cynical move that made them stateless and consequently much trickier to deport due to international law. In 2022, they both lost an appeal against deportation after a seven-year legal battle that cost the British taxpayer a fortune, but they kept living in Rochdale because Pakistan would not take them back. But Islamabad's position could now change, according to reports, now that UK ministers have given the green light for direct flights to resume between the two countries. The country's national carrier PIA was barred from operating inside the EU and UK in 2020. That followed an incident on May 22 that year when a passenger flight from Lahore to Karachi crashed, killing 97 out of the 99 people on board as well as an additional victim on the ground. Married father-of-five Rauf, a religious studies teacher at a Rochdale mosque, would drive schoolgirls to other men who would rape and abuse them. He walked free in 2014 after serving just two and a half years of a six-year prison sentence. Last month, the Daily Mail revealed how he built a house in his native Pakistan – despite receiving £285,000 of taxpayers' money in a battle against being deported, casting fresh doubts on claims he had cut ties with Pakistan. Khan was convicted of sex trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child. The offender, who had a baby with one of the victims aged just 13 at the time, served four years of an eight-year jail term before being released in 2016. Rauf ferried victims from Rochdale to sex parties as far away as Leeds and Bradford, in a scandal that ultimately led to nine men being convicted for trafficking and abusing almost 50 girls. Officials in Islamabad last month told the Times that Pakistan could finally agree to take the two men once direct flights are resumed. And the British High Commission in Pakistan subsequently confirmed PIA was once again legally allowed to fly non-stop routes into the UK. A spokesperson said: 'After a sustained, independent and technically driven process, the UK's Air Safety Committee has lifted its restrictions on Pakistani carriers. 'It will take time for flights to resume, but this is an important step, and a testament to Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority's air safety improvements. 'Individual airline carriers will still need to apply for permits to operate to the UK through the UK Civil Aviation Authority.' Jane Marriott, the UK high commissioner to Pakistan, added at the time: 'I'm grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards. 'While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.' An estimated 1.6million people of Pakistani heritage are believed to be living in the UK. Paul Waugh, Labour MP for Rochdale, has now said following the latest reported progress: 'Ever since I was elected, I have been working constantly with ministers to deport these Rochdale grooming gang ringleaders to Pakistan. 'The last government failed to boot these vile paedophiles out of Britain. That's totally unacceptable to me, to the people of Rochdale and most of all to their victims. 'I know that we are having to deal with a complex diplomatic and legal process, but I've ensured this is a high priority within government and I'm encouraged that progress sounds like it is being made. The sooner we see the back of them, the better.' Earlier this year, MailOnline revealed that Rauf was working in Rochdale as a delivery driver, prompting fears he might meet one of his victims during the course of his work. His neighbours in Rochdale were disgusted that he was still allowed to live in the same town where he carried out his vile crimes. One mother, who lives just a few doors away, said: 'Nobody can believe that monster is still here, after what he did to those young girls. 'It's disgusting. What is the country coming to? Why is he still here?' And furious neighbours of Rauf in Rochdale described how they were terrified to let their children out of sight after the 55-year-old was released. The convicted paedophile was told he would be deported back to Pakistan after completing his sentence in 2014 - but he remains living in the Greater Manchester town more than a decade later. Rauf claims to be stateless after renouncing his Pakistani nationality – however, his claim to have cut ties have now been thrown into doubt. Neighbours in the remote village which he left to move to Britain in the 1990s have revealed that the father-of-five has built a house there. They said his intention was to live in it when he is finally kicked out of the UK. They also contradicted his claim during his battle against deportation that he would be at risk in Pakistan due to 'public opinion' because of his convictions, saying his family remains 'influential' there. Rauf was one of a nine-strong gang of Asian men who sexually assaulted 47 girls, some as young as 12, after plying them with drink and drugs. Their conviction in 2012 shocked the country and sparked years of campaigning by victims, which earlier this month finally prompted Sir Keir Starmer to agree to a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal. Rauf – who moved to the UK in 1997 – lost an appeal against being stripped of British nationality in 2018. But he appealed against deportation on the grounds he had already renounced his Pakistani citizenship and would therefore be rendered stateless. Rauf has received a staggering £285,000 in legal aid as he bids to avoid being thrown out of the country, it emerged earlier this year. Despite losing the case, he remains in Rochdale where he works as a takeaway delivery driver as Pakistan won't accept him without valid travel documents. But inquiries by MailOnline in his home village of Charhoi in Pakistan-administered Kashmir suggest he has retained close links. According to villagers who know the family, he has sent back money to fund the construction of a new house near the bazaar with the intention of living there himself. They said he initially allowed his elder brother to live there with his family – but had now asked him to vacate the building. 'His brother lived there for few months but came back to his old home when his children told him to leave Abdul Rauf's home and go back to his old one,' the resident said. As part of his 2022 appeal against deportation, Rauf claimed that if he was sent back to Pakistan, he 'would be at risk due to the public opinion of the criminal conviction' and would not be 'protected' by the authorities there. But a villager cast doubt on his claim, saying that while locals knew about the case, he would be safe as a result of his family ties. 'Since they are influential and financially strong people in their street, this topic was not much discussed,' the resident said. Before his conviction, Rauf was seen as a pillar of Rochdale's Muslim community because of his role as a 'qari', a cleric who reads from the Koran. But the men's trial heard how he trafficked a 15-year-old girl for sex, driving her to secluded areas to have sex with her in his taxi and ferrying her to a flat in Rochdale where he and others had sex with her.
The Sun
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Rochdale grooming gang fiends could FINALLY be deported months after Pakistan refused to take them back
RINGLEADERS of a Rochdale grooming gang could finally be deported to Pakistan after using a loophole to avoid being kicked out of the UK. Fury erupted when Qari Abdul Rauf and Adil Khan ripped up their passports and Pakistan refused to take them back. 4 4 The men were part of a nine-strong gang of Asian men convicted of sex offences against vulnerable girls in 2012. Up to 47 girls as young as 12 were plied with alcohol and drugs and gang-raped across Rochdale during a two-year reign of terror. Then-Home Secretary Theresa May ordered the pair to be sent back to Pakistan in 2014 as it would as it would be "conducive to the public good". But ten years later, Rauf and Khan still remain in Rochdale where - horrifically - their victims are forced to live alongside them. Rauf and Khan held dual British-Pakistani citizenship but were stripped of their British nationality. A judge ordered both men to be deported to Pakistan nearly a decade ago. However the men, two of Britain's worst grooming offenders, renounced their Pakistani citizenship days before an appeal against the order. This meant they would be left "stateless" if they were kicked out of the UK, exploiting a loophole that allowed them to remain here. But according to The Telegraph, a lifting of a ban on direct flights between Pakistan and UK could mean 'progress' in negotiations for deportation. Sources for the Interior Ministry have previously said "progress" could be made if the UK were to take part in talks. They also suggested returning direct flights to the UK by its national airline PIA, which were suspended for safety reasons, could help. But UK officials previously said this suggestion had not been raised in discussions. Rauf and Khan were ringleaders of a prolific grooming gang in Rochdale, which has been plagued by sexual exploitation. Khan got a 13-year-old girl pregnant and trafficked another girl, 15, to others - using violence when she complained. He was sentenced to eight years in 2012 and released on licence four years later. Dad-of-five Rauf trafficked a 15-year-old girl and raped her in a secluded area before taking her to a flat in Rochdale where others had sex with her. He was caged for six years and released in November 2014 after serving two years and six months of his sentence. 4
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Stepfather of grooming gang fantasist Eleanor Williams is fighting for his life after being battered at home
The stepfather of grooming gang fantasist Eleanor Williams is fighting for his life after being allegedly attacked in his family home, Mail Online can reveal. Ronnie Johnston, 57, was discovered with life-threatening injuries at the end-terrace property in Teasdale Road, Barrow, shortly before midnight on Saturday. A 19-year-old man at the address, found by paramedics with a broken arm, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. A woman at the scene, 54, was also arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Painter and decorator Mr Johnston is the stepfather of Eleanor Williams, 24, who falsely claimed she was trafficked and beaten by an Asian gang in Cumbria. She alleged she had been brutally raped and trafficked across the north of England and overseas in a string of Facebook posts in May 2020, shared more than 100,000 times. Her purported ordeal sparked protests and months of unrest in her home town, and prompted thousands to donate cash. Williams was later convicted of perverting the course of justice when her dramatic accounts were exposed as being completely fantastical. A Cumbria police spokesperson said: 'Police were contacted at 11.54pm on July 12 by North West Ambulance Service after they were called to a report of two people injured at an address at Teasdale Road, Barrow. 'One man, 19, had sustained a suspected broken arm, while another, 57, had sustained life-threatening injuries. 'Initial investigations were carried out and the 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and escorted to Furness General Hospital for treatment. 'The man, 57, was taken to hospital in Preston where he remains in a critical condition. 'A woman at the scene, 54, was also arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. 'Investigations remain ongoing. Residents may notice a larger-than-normal police presence in the area as a result.' A trial at Preston Crown Court heard Williams inflicted the wounds herself using a hammer and she was jailed for eight-and-a-half years in March 2023. Three men falsely accused over a three-year period were driven to the brink of suicide after being targeted. One of them - Jordan Trengove - spent more than 70 days in prison, sharing a cell with a convicted sex offender after he was charged as a result of Williams' bogus claims. Her mother Allison Williams, 54, a former Labour councillor, was later accused of refusing to return £22,000 donated by well-wishers. She later said she donated the funds to two homeless charities. Williams was released from prison in January under the Government's early release scheme designed to free up space in prisons. The serial liar was revealed by Mail Online to be making a 'new life for herself' outside of Barrow. A source said: 'She was a model prisoner and she was no threat to society at all. She was working during her time in jail as a receptionist for an electrical equipment company and proved to the authorities that she was suitable to be released. 'She's currently living outside Barrow and doesn't know whether she'll be able to return. 'It's an isolated town where everyone is involved in everyone else's business which would make life impossible for her at the moment.' Cumbria Police added: 'Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, referring to incident 355 of July 12. 'Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.'
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Rochdale grooming gang paedophile who groomed young girls to use as 'sex slaves' feared to have fled the UK
A Rochdale grooming gang paedophile who turned young girls into 'sex slaves' to be used and abused 'wherever, whenever' is feared to have fled the UK. Kasir Bashir was one of seven men convicted of sexually exploiting two teenage girls in the town between 2001 and 2005. The warped 50-year-old was part of a depraved gang of predators who preyed on vulnerable children from the age of 13 who had 'deeply troubled home lives'. Former Rochdale market stall holder Bashir repeatedly raped and abused one teenager at a filthy flat in Oldham when he was in his mid-20s, a court heard. The group would ply the youngsters with booze and drugs before molesting them on rancid mattresses or inside alleyways, cars, warehouses and car parks. His sickening crimes were exposed following a major police operation to clampdown on the grooming gangs plaguing Rochdale. However, on the eve of his criminal trial in January, the pervert vanished - despite having answered police bail weekly in the run up to his court appearance. In his absence, the abuser was convicted by a jury of two counts of rape, as well as two counts of indecency with a child. However, he is still on the run. Now it is feared Bashir may have fled the country, with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) launching an international manhunt to bring the sex fiend to justice. It's understood the convicted paedophile was forced to surrender his passport as part of his bail conditions before his trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. If he has fled overseas, it's feared he may have done so illegally, either using forged documents or a people smuggling gang. Paul Waugh, the MP for Rochdale, has now lashed out and is demanding urgent answers over how Bashir could have slipped through the authorities' grasp. Speaking to Manchester Evening News, the Labour MP said: 'It is deeply alarming that this disgusting grooming gang member absconded on the eve of his trial. 'I have written to both the Ministry of Justice and GMP to ask exactly why a suspected child rapist like Bashir was not considered more of a flight risk or more of a danger to society. 'There are serious questions to answer about the assessment of his suitability for bail and why he was not remanded in custody. The fact that he is at large will rightly anger many of my constituents.' He added: 'Ultimately, this is a matter for the crown court judge in this case. But I have asked the justice minister to check whether there can be a review of the bail decision by the Attorney General, given the natural public interest this involves. 'Just as importantly, I want to make sure no future grooming gang trial will see a repeat of this outrage, and that all those charged with such serious offences are remanded in custody.' A spokesman for GMP said: 'We don't know where Bashir is, but we are determined to find him no matter where he thinks he can hide.' Detective Chief Inspector Guy Laycock, senior investigation officer in the case, added: 'We will do all we can to find Bashir and ensure justice is fully served for them. 'Time was no barrier to bringing these groomers to justice, and Bashir evading the trial, will not stop us ensuring he now faces the full consequences of his actions.' Three of Bashir's co-defendants - Mohammed Shahzad, Naheem Akram, and Nisar Hussain – were also out on bail when he went missing. However, police remanded the them in custody after reportedly receiving intelligence they were planning to abscond. The trio all deny the accusations, but Judge Jonathan Seely said the court was not prepared to take the risk that they may abscond. Those with information about Bashir's whereabouts are urged to contact GMP, on 101, quoting Operation Lytton.
The Sun
14-07-2025
- The Sun
International manhunt for Rochdale grooming gang member, 50, who used girl as ‘sex slave' from 13 ‘before fleeing UK'
A VILE member of a grooming gang who "repeatedly raped" and "exploited" a vulnerable young girl is on the run and may have fled the UK. Kasir Bashir, 50, was a one of the seven men found guilty of sexually exploiting two white teenage girls in Rochdale between 2001 and 2006. 8 8 8 Bashir, who has been on the run from police for six months, may have fled Britain. He was a member of the Rochdale grooming gang who preyed on young girls with "deeply troubled home lives" and groomed them as "sex slaves" from the age of 13. The vile man worked as a market stall holder in Rochdale and was convicted alongside six others of the sexual exploitation of two girls in the town. In January, just before his trial, in a cowardly attempt to evade justice, Bashir fled. This prompted an urgent international manhunt for the fiend. He was found guilty last month alongside six others after the trial went ahead in his absence. The men, aged between 67 and 41, plied young girls with drugs, cigarettes and alcohol and expected them to have sex "whenever and wherever" the defendants wanted. The young girls were reportedly abused in filthy flats, on rancid mattresses, in cars, car parks, alleyways and disused warehouses. The court heard how vile Bashir repeatedly raped and abused a teenager in a dark, dingy flat in Oldham. Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told the fiend was in his mid 20s when he exploited the young, vulnerable girl. Grooming gangs wrecked my daughter's life - and it's still going on now. Proceedings were derailed a week after Bashir fled when a member of the jury asked about the fiend's absence, which his defence argued showed prejudice. The trial was later restarted and went ahead with Bashir and six others found guilty of the heinous crimes. Following the trial Greater Manchester Police announced a manhunt for the vile man with it emerging that he may have fled Britain. The Manchester Evening News reported that, as part of his bail conditions, Bashir surrendered his passport which means if he left Britain he did so by illegitimate means. 8 8 8 If the vile man left the country through illegitimate means it will make it much harder for authorities to track him down. Bashir has been on a police " critical wanted" list since January but has still not been located. Reports suggest he had been complying with strict bail conditions up to the Thursday before his trial. These included surrendering his passport, living and sleeping at a given address and attending the Rochdale Police Station once a week. Three other members of the grooming gang, Mohammed Shahzad, Naheem Akram and Nisar Hussain were also out on bail when Bashir went missing. Police received intelligence that the trio were planning to leave the country and they were remanded in custody ahead of the trial. Bashir was convicted in absentia of multiple counts of rape and indecency with a child. The manhunt for the vile fiend continues as authorities desperately try to track him down and bring him to justice. Paul Waugh, the MP for Rochdale, said: "It is deeply alarming that this disgusting grooming gang member absconded on the eve of his trial. 'I have written to both the Ministry of Justice and GMP to ask exactly why a suspected child rapist like Bashir was not considered more of a flight risk or more of a danger to society. 'There are serious questions to answer about the assessment of his suitability for bail and why he was not remanded in custody. "The fact that he is at large will rightly anger many of my constituents.' Detective Chief Inspector Guy Laycock is the senior investigation officer on the case, he said: 'The men who committed this horrific abuse have now been found guilty of their abhorrent crimes. One defendant, Kasir Bashir cowardly avoided the whole trial and thought he could escape justice. 'This is in stark contrast to the survivors who gave brave and painful testimony over the four-month trial in front of the men that so badly abused them. We will do all we can to find Bashir and ensure justice is fully served for them. 'Time was no barrier to bringing these groomers to justice, and Bashir evading the trial, will not stop us ensuring he now faces the full consequences of his actions.' 8 8
