Robert Jenrick has called for mandatory life sentences for grooming gang members claiming he "wants them to be prosecuted".
The Conservative leadership hopeful made the comments this morning after GB News revealed a grooming gang abuser convicted of indecently assaulting an 11-year-old girl had lodged an appeal against his sentencing.
Mohammed Amar was convicted in June of two counts of indecent assault against a “hapless” schoolgirl, who was groomed at her primary school playground by a gang of rapists.
He was sentenced last month to 14 years’ imprisonment with 2 years’ extended licence.
Speaking about this to GB News Jenrick said: "The public wants action now. They are sick of this. This is a moral stain on our country, that thousands of children have been abused in this way and public officials have turned a blind eye to it.
"What we need is action now to try to eliminate this, because only a fool would believe this isn't happening today on our streets somewhere in our country.
"What I want to see are mandatory life sentences for these despicable predators, so that you're not out in 14 years, as the current law suggests, or less, but actually you're never out of prison again.
Robert Jenrick calls for life sentences for grooming gangs
GB News
"I want those of these predators who are not British citizens to be removed from our country with compulsory deportations and the public officials who turn a blind eye for fear of racism or community relations, I want them to be prosecuted and barred from working in the public sector ever again.
"There are people in local councils, in the police, in the judiciary, in the community, who have turned a blind eye to this…because they were fearful of being labelled.
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"That's why I say they should be prosecuted. This isn't a minor thing, is it? These are children's lives that are being wrecked by vile, disgusting predators.
"They should be prosecuted, and they should be barred from ever working in these positions."
Jenrick has emphasised the need for permanent tagging of grooming gang criminals upon release from prison.
He also proposed lifetime injunctions to prevent offenders from living near or approaching their victims.
A grooming gang victim speaking with GB News previously
GB NewsThe Conservative MP added: "I worked with Suella Braverman, who actually I think was excellent on this issue.
"She created the grooming gangs task force which led to over 500 arrests…at the end of the day, ultimately depends on will within Government.
"If the Foreign Office doesn’t want to apply visa sanctions, then the Home Office won't be able to pursue them.
"I started to deport people who were doing a range of things as immigration minister, like anti-Semites, for example, on our streets, and this was considered a very controversial thing to do.
"Previously, the Home Office only removed the visas from a tiny number of people at the most extreme hate preachers, for example. But my view is, a visa is not a right, is it? It's a privilege.
"If you spend time in our country and you do something like participate in a grooming gang, you're an evil predator of our children, or you're on the streets of London espousing anti-British sentiment, you should be out."
The maximum sentence is currently 14 years for offences related to facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child and life for rape.
