Law firm investigated over groomers’ appeal
THE law firm representing members of a notorious Rochdale grooming ring fighting deportation are under investigation by a legal watchdog.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has begun a probe into Nottinghambased Burton & Burton after Britain’s most senior immigration judge Mr Justice Bernard McCloskey accused lawyers from the firm of ‘weakening the rule of law’ during last month’s immigration tribunal.
In what was described as some of the strongest criticism ever delivered by a British judge, Justice McCloskey also said the conduct of the appeals had been ‘cavalier and unprofessional’ and added solicitors had treated the tribunal with ‘sustained and marked disrespect’.
The case raised fears that convicted criminals are adopting a stalling strategy in an attempt to put off deportation from the UK as long as possible.
The SRA investigation comes following a complaint by Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk.
He said: “I have a number of concerns regarding the conduct of this firm of solicitors, who have made repeated requests for adjournment, generating fees in the process. By unnecessarily dragging out the trial, they have allowed the perpetrators of these crimes to remain in the UK.
“The victims of the crimes committed by the four men in question must not be forgotten. They have waited long enough for justice and it is only right and proper that the perpetrators of these crimes now serve their time in a Pakistani jail.” ●●Shabir Ahmed, Adil Khan, Abdul Aziz and Qari Abdul Rauf are facing deportation to Pakistan after immigration judges rejected their appeals against a move to strip them of their British citizenship
In a letter to Mr Danczuk SRA chief executive Paul Philip wrote: “The comments by Mr Justice McCloskey are of real concern and we have started investigating this.”
The letters adds the authority has the power to issue fines or rebukes and, in the most serious cases, close firms down.
Four members of the abuse gang, who were jailed in 2012 for grooming vulnerable young girls in Rochdale and Heywood, lost their legal challenge to remain UK citizens in February and could now face deportation.
Ringleader Shabir Ahmed, Adil Khan, Abdul Rauf and Abdul Aziz could soon be sent back to their home country of Pakistan after their appeals against a move to strip them of British citizenship were rejected.
Handing judgment, down the Mr Justice McCloskey described the men’s crimes as ‘shocking, brutal and repulsive’.
A spokesman for the Solicitors Regulation Authority confirmed an investigation into the conduct of Burton & Burton had begun.
Burton & Burton were contacted for a comment.