Nazir Ahmed

Nazir Ahmed, known as Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, faced justice at Sheffield Crown Court for historical sexual offences committed in the 1970s. The 64-year-old former Labour peer was convicted on Wednesday of two counts of attempted rape and one count of buggery, relating to attacks on a girl who was much younger than him and a boy, when Ahmed himself was aged 16 or 17.

During the trial, a woman testified that Ahmed had attempted to rape her as a child. Ahmed, who had a distinguished political career spanning 22 years in the House of Lords as both a Labour and non-affiliated peer, denied all charges. He was created a life peer in 1998 but resigned from the House of Lords in 2020 following an investigation that recommended his expulsion. Prior to his parliamentary role, Ahmed served as a Labour councillor in Rotherham and left the party in 2013.

The convictions have sparked widespread calls for Ahmed to be stripped of his peerage title. Conservative MP Alexander Stafford, representing Rother Valley, launched a petition urging Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to withdraw the title, describing it as 'an insult to his victims'. Stafford stated, 'There is no getting away from the fact that this paedophile is in possession of a peerage and this is absolutely and categorically unacceptable.' He further emphasised in a tweet: 'There is no individual crime more horrific than paedophilia and there is no punishment too severe for the perpetrators of these heinous acts.'

Stafford, who has previously campaigned against child sexual exploitation, praised the victims' bravery, saying, 'The focus now needs to be on the victims of this sick abuser and their decades-long fight for justice. I thank them sincerely and wholeheartedly for their bravery and persistence and I welcome this verdict.' He plans to discuss the matter with colleagues in the Department of Justice to ensure Ahmed does not retain the peerage.

Mr Justice Lavender, the presiding judge, bailed Ahmed to appear for sentencing on 4 February. Only an Act of Parliament with royal assent can formally strip him of his title, highlighting the procedural challenges ahead. The case, reported by The Independent, underscores ongoing efforts to hold public figures accountable for past abuses and support survivors of child sex offences.