Anti-grooming gangs campaigner vows to protect victims of Shabir Ahmed after prison release: 'Shouldn't have to do it!'

An anti-grooming gangs campaigner has told GB News that he has had "no choice" but to personally protect victims of a Rochdale ringleader after being released early from prison.

Speaking to The People's Channel, Billy Howarth, co-founder of Parents Against Grooming UK, has declared there is "no safeguarding" in place for the victims of convicted rapist Shabir Ahmed.

Ahmed, 73, was released from prison on Thursday after serving 14 years of his 19-year conviction in 2012 for multiple rape and sexual offences against young girls.

However, the Rochdale ringleader has dodged deportation due to the 1971 Immigration Act, which forbids the removal of a small group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago.

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Victims of Ahmed's crimes were only informed of his release on Monday, with no processes for safeguarding and protecting them in place.

Telling GB News of his efforts to protect the victims following Ahmed's release, Mr Howarth said: "I'm actually the spokesman for two of the girls involved in the Shabir Ahmed cases.

"We received letters from probation informing them that Shabir was being released on those letters. Nothing told them that there was an immediate response with safeguarding or safety for them either."

Mr Howarth explained how he has put together a local response team to protect those two women and any other women in the area from any potential danger.

He said: "I put out a call for local people, men and women, to create a rapid response team. Now, this isn't a team of people walking about the streets looking for Shabir.

"This is systematically, them two girls send me an SOS warning, we're going to go and protect these two girls. Sadly, we shouldn't have to do this. This should already be in place."

Mr Howarth made clear that he and his team had "no choice" but to help protect the women as there has been no Government help.

He told GB News: "Let's bear in mind, these two girls were witnesses in two of the biggest cases in the country when it comes to child sexual exploitation, and have received no witness protection.

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"There's no immediate safeguard for her or her children in both families, so we have to. We've had no choice. It's not that we wanted to do it, it's because we had no choice."

Mr Howarth made clear the scale of Ahmed's historic operation and how he "orchestrated abuse of hundreds of children across the country".

He said: "We're not just talking about a groomer here, we're talking about the don of grooming gangs.

"This man was responsible for facilitation of abuse and orchestrating abuse of hundreds of children, not just the ones who convicted of in Rochdale and Oldham.

"This guy had to reach right around the UK. This is who we're dealing with. This man should never see the light of day, and he certainly shouldn't be in the UK."

Mr Howarth expressed his disappointment that several grooming gang criminals have been deported following their convictions or release from prison.

He said: "We've been led to believe that he would be deported, and of course, Rochdale has been through this already with Qari Rauf, after two appeals, he's still here. Adil Khan, after two appeals, is still here.

"The problem with Shabir Ahmed is, I've seen him create a fear none of the others who have been released have created with these girls. My concern has been making sure these two are getting heard and looked after."

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