‘Amber’, a survivor who was raped and sexually exploited by Shabir Ahmed and later brought a successful claim against Greater Manchester Police, has condemned the failure to tell her he was due to be released from prison. She learned about his release through the media. Amber’s case has previously attracted press attention after she was treated as a criminal by the criminal justice system when she came forward as a victim.
‘Amber’ said:
“I am absolutely furious that no one contacted me to tell me that Shabir Ahmed was going to be released - not the Prison Service, not Victim Liaison, no one. I had to find out about it from the media, in the week of his release.
“For the past three nights I haven’t been able to sleep. I’ve been physically sick over this. I’ve had to ring my children’s school because I’m scared for their safety.
“He has contacts in Rochdale. They operated as a gang - so even if he stays out of Rochdale, he could still get other men to do what he wants.
“I feel like I’ve been let down all over again. Greater Manchester Police accepted I was a victim and that I should have been protected, but there is still zero victim support.”
Kate Ellis, Solicitor at Centre for Women’s Justice, said:
“Victims of serious sexual offending are usually notified of the perpetrator’s possible release from prison and given an opportunity to raise concerns about their release or proposed licence conditions - not least because they may have serious concerns about their safety.
“If the Government’s new early release provisions for sexual offenders are depriving victims of an opportunity to raise such concerns, that should be a cause for serious concern. If victims are not even being notified of their abuser’s proposed release, that is completely unacceptable.
“Amber has been failed by every authority that should have protected her. She was not protected by the police and social services while the abuse was ongoing; she was failed and wrongly criminalised when she came forward as a victim, for which Greater Manchester Police, though not the Crown Prosecution Service, has since apologised, and now she has not even been afforded the basic courtesy of being told about Shabir Ahmed’s release.”
ENDS
Notes:
Further background on Amber’s successful claim against Greater Manchester Police is available here.