Two members of a sex grooming gang in Rochdale have lost a long-running appeal against being deported to Pakistan.
51-year-old Adil Khan and 52-year-old Qari Abdul Rauf were part of a nine-member gang that groomed dozens of girls for sex in the Greater Manchester town for two years in the late 2000s, before they were eventually convicted for child sex offences back in May 2012.
The gang operated for two years from 2008, and were found to have been plying girls as young as 12 with alcohol and drugs and gang-raping them at various locations – sometimes “pimping” them out for money.
As many as 47 girls were abused, according to Greater Manchester Police.
Among the convictions, Khan got a 13-year-old girl pregnant, but denied he was the father, and then met another girl, 15, and trafficked her for others to abuse, often using violence when she complained, while father-of-five Rauf trafficked a 15-year-old girl and drove her to secluded areas to sexually abuse her in his taxi, and then move her to a flat in Rochdale where he and others abused her.
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All nine men were jailed for their part in the gang.
After being freed from jail in 2014 and 2016 respectively, Rauf and Khan then began a long campaign to try and avoid being deported from UK to Pakistan after their British citizenship was revoked, citing article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights – which is the right to a private and family life.
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Khan had argued at his last hearing in June that he shouldn’t be deported because his son needed a role model, and lawyers for the pair also argued they were “stateless” due to the fact they had certificates showing renouncement their Pakistani citizenship.
But immigration judges ruled their challenge against deportation on human rights grounds had failed.
Judges said Khan had shown a “breathtaking lack of remorse”, and that there was a “very strong public interest” in both men being kicked out, in a decision that was made in August and has been released publicly today.
Home Office lawyers argued that the case had taken a “very long time” to get to this point, and it was now in the public interest to deport both men “as soon as possible”.
In April, Greater Manchester Police apologised to three victims, with the police force admitting that officers “could and should have done much more” to protect them and that “we let you down,” – but campaigners criticised the apology for being “10 years too late”.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
The Manc -
27th October 2022 
