Men who were part of a grooming gang face deportation

Adil Khan (left) and Qari Abdul Rauf. (Image by Greater Manchester Police) 

A UK court rejected an appeal against the deportation of two gang members who were jailed a decade ago for grooming young girls for sex in northern England.

It was revealed the judges in a ruling by the immigration tribunal that Adil Khan, 51, and Qari Abdul Rauf, 52 who had been Pakistani citizens but later became naturalised British citizens, were to be removed from the UK as there was a “very strong public interest” in doing so.

The two men were deprived of British citizenship in 2018, along with another ganag member and fought a long legal battle against deportation. They were jailed in 2012 as they were found to be a part of a gang of nine men of Pakistani and Afghan origin, all of whom lived in the northern England town of Rochdale.

All the members were sentenced for up to 19 years for conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children under the age of 16 and other offences.

They specifically targeted minor white British girls who were as young as 13, repeatedly raping them and passing them on to others for sex.

This case is a part of several other similar disturbing cases of grooming gangs taking advantage of innocent children in other English cities including Oxford.

The men have contested their deportation due to the fact that both had renounced Pakistani citizenship and on human rights grounds claiming the right to a private and family life.

Both men were released many years ago after serving a portion of their sentences and were living in Rochdale, close to their victims, reports have stated.

Judges also pointed out the “breathtaking lack of remorse” shown by Khan, who got a 13-year-old pregnant, when he told the tribunal that he wanted to be a “role model” for his son.