The Justice Secretary wants the imminent prison release of a ringleader of the Telford abuse scandal to be halted after a bungled parole hearing. Officials failed to warn one of Mohammed Ali Sultan’s victims that the hearing, halfway through a third jail sentence for sexual offences, was taking place last month. In a second “deeply unfortunate” blunder, the victim’s personal statement, which set out “very poignantly the emotional and psychological impact" of Sultan's vile crimes, was not given to the panel who decided to free him.
The Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, in her role as Lord Chancellor, has asked the Parole Board to reconsider the decision to free Sultan, arguing it was “legally irrational”. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with all the victims in this despicable case. Public protection is our first priority. After careful consideration, the Lord Chancellor has asked the Parole Board to reconsider its decision to release Mohammed Ali Sultan from prison.”.
Sultan was found guilty in 2019 of child rape and three counts of indecent assault and sentenced to eight years in prison. The judge at Birmingham Crown Court told him: “You’ve shown no remorse in relation to the present allegations. You remain, clearly, a very dangerous man.” The trial was the result of Operation Vapour, launched by West Mercia Police in 2018 after the Sunday Mirror revealed that up to 1,000 girls had been abused in the Shropshire town over four decades.
