Telford child grooming gang member to be released

A former Telford grooming gang member is set to be released on parole, despite intervention by a government minister.

The Parole Board decided Mohammed Ali Sultan would still be released, after a request by the justice secretary to reconsider their decision was denied.

Sultan was jailed for seven years in 2012, after admitting having sex with two teenage girls, with his sentence extended in 2015 and 2019 after he was found guilty of further sexual offences.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said while it was disappointed with the outcome it respected the Parole Board's decision.

Sultan was up for parole in December, when an independent panel ruled he could be released back into the community.

He will be released once all elements of his risk management plan are in place, which typically takes two to four weeks, said the MoJ.

A Parole Board spokesperson said it had directed Sultan's release following an oral hearing.

They said: "Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims."

A victim, who uses the name Kate Elysia, told BBC's Newsnight last month she felt "forgotten" after she was not notified of the hearing.

The Lord Chancellor triggered the reconsideration mechanism as she felt there was an arguable case that the parole board's decision to release Sultan was irrational.

Justice Secretary Mahmood said she asked for the parole board's decision to be reconsidered, but her request was rejected.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said Sultan would be subject to "intense probation supervision".

A statement said: "Our thoughts remain with all the victims in this awful case. We are disappointed with the outcome but respect the independent Parole Board's decision.

"Mohammed Ali Sultan will be subject to intense probation supervision and faces an immediate return to prison if he fails to comply with his strict licence conditions."

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