𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Ahmed was released on July 2 after serving 14 years since his conviction in 2012. While a 1971 law forbidding the removal of a small group of Commonwealth citizens currently prevents his removal, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has pledged to change the legislation. Mr Polanski said this week that the priority should be “sticking to the rule of law” however, adding that it “makes sense” for Ahmed to stay in the UK.

He told Good Morning Britain: “I don’t think we should be making these [decisions] on a case-by-case basis … He committed those crimes in Britain, so it makes sense to me that as a British citizen, he stays in a British prison.

“If he’s still a threat, it doesn’t make diplomatic sense to me for him to go and be a threat somewhere else. It makes sense to me that he is maintained in prison until he’s not a threat.”

Ahmed had dual British-Pakistani citizenship when he committed the offences, but was stripped of his British citizenship following his conviction.

The comments generated backlash on social media, with one person writing: “This is why Zack will never be taken seriously.”

Another said: “Why is Zack Polanski defending the worst living paedophile currently in the UK?”

Despite her plans to change the Immigration and Asylum Bill, Ms Mahmood has warned that she would be unable to deport Ahmed unless Pakistan agrees to take him back.

Pakistan’s Government has repeatedly resisted attempts to deport the grooming gang leader, claiming it has “no connection whatsoever” with the matter.

Ms Mahmood said this week that she will “continue to work all avenues to pursue a deportation”.