A town at the centre of the grooming gangs scandal has been left fuming over the authorities’ inability to remove perpetrators from the community. The scandal, uncovered in 2011, saw young, mostly white working-class girls sexually abused and exploited by gangs of men, the majority of whom were of Pakistani origin.
Last week, the Government finally gave in to pressure to launch a national inquiry into the scandal following the publication of a report by Baroness Casey. But some of those convicted of heinous sex crimes against youngsters in Rochdale are still able to live in the area, adding further insult to injury. Qari Abdul Rauf, a former taxi driver and mosque teacher, was convicted of sex trafficking and other offences including rape, trafficking girls for sex and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child in May 2012.
Following his release, Rauf still lives in the town where he ferried young girls around to abuse and exploit in his taxi, much to the horror of those nearby.
David Carter, 69, who lives a few doors away from sex fiend told The Sun: “I’m horrified he’s living near us.
“He’s a monster – he should never be in this country, never mind living in the same town where he caused so much misery.
“It’s appalling he’s not been sent back to Pakistan. My grandchildren come to visit, so we always keep a close eye on him.
“You see kids play in the street near his home. It’s disgusting he’s still here – he makes my skin crawl.
“You only see him jump in the car – I think he knows everyone hates him.
“An Asian man who lives in the street has said that he would be stoned to death if he ever made it back to Pakistan.”
Another resident, Sharon Hughes, 32, added: “I can’t believe this monster paedo is still here.
“I tell my kids not to cycle near his house. It’s terrifying this man still lives in our street.”
He was jailed for six years for his crimes but was released in November 2014 after less than three years behind bars.
Rauf is one of two men who have renounced their Pakistani citizenship in a desperate attempt to avoid deportation.
Rauf and fellow paedophile Adil Khan had held dual British-Pakistani citizenship but renounced their Pakistani citizenship when the Home Office attempted to remove their British nationality.
Under international law, a country cannot strip its nationals of citizenship if it makes them stateless.
Pakistan has confirmed that it would resist any attempt to return the sex offenders to their country of origin.
An Islamabad official told The Times it would be hard to repatriate Rauf and Khan because they had renounced their Pakistani citizenship.
“This complex case involves several legal challenges, and we are currently in discussions with UK authorities, although no significant progress has been made yet,” the official said.
Osama Malik, a UK-trained immigration law expert, told the newspaper: “If these convicts have legally renounced their Pakistani citizenship, it would be very difficult for Pakistan to accept these deportations, as Pakistan cannot allow dangerous convicts on its soil if they are not Pakistani citizens.
“If these convicts reapply for Pakistani citizenship then they could be accepted by Pakistani authorities, but that is unlikely.”