Shabir Ahmed Moved to New Location After Hostel Address Posted Online

The post stated the disclosure was made for safety reasons. GB News reported that the Ministry of Justice transferred Ahmed to an alternative location. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said public protection is the top priority.

The spokesman added that Ahmed is subject to the toughest supervision possible, will remain on the sex offender register for life, is banned from contacting his victims or any child or young person, and has his movements tracked. Ahmed was released on July 2 after serving 14 years in prison.

He was convicted in 2012 of rape and sexual offences against girls, some as young as 12, and originally sentenced to 19 years.

He is 73 years old. A 1971 law prevents deportation of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago. Ahmed has been stripped of his British citizenship. GB News reported that Labour has examined ways to deport him since his release.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to detail a way to close the loophole in the Immigration Act. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said changing the law is only the first step and that the country of origin must agree to take such criminals back. The spokesman added that all options remain on the table where countries do not cooperate, including possibly refusing to issue visas.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the UK can stop or restrict issuing visas to people from Pakistan if it does not take Ahmed back, and that such restrictions should apply to any country that fails to accept its own criminal nationals. Victims’ minister Catherine Atkinson said the threat of visa restrictions has produced results before with Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.