Nazir Ahmed

After an initial trial was halted in 2021 because of serious prosecution disclosure problems, a retrial resulted in three convictions in January 2022. He was sentenced to five years and six months. In March 2023, the Court of Appeal reduced the total sentence to two years and six months, finding that greater weight should have been given to his status as a minor at the time. The two-year sentences for attempted rape were upheld; the reduction did not overturn the convictions.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

The Conduct Committee upheld on appeal the Commissioner for Standards' findings that Ahmed had agreed to use his peerage to help the complainant, then sexually assaulted her on 2 March 2017 and lied to her about his actions. The report also identified exploitation of vulnerability and failures to cooperate. Certain more serious accusations, including alleged poisoning, were not upheld. The committee recommended expulsion; Ahmed resigned from the House of Lords three days before publication, having disputed the findings and procedure.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following publication of the recording, Ahmed described his own remarks as completely false and unacceptable and apologised unreservedly. Before a Labour disciplinary hearing, he resigned from the party, disputing how the material and its translation were being handled. The event concerns his own statements and their political consequences; it is separate from the false Obama story of 2012.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Ahmed immediately denied mentioning Obama or offering a bounty. After reviewing video footage, The Express Tribune acknowledged that its article was erroneous: Ahmed had proposed raising £10 million to seek to bring George W. Bush and Tony Blair before an international court for war crimes. The newspaper expressed regret for the error, and Labour subsequently lifted his suspension. The event is retained with the favourable outcome and does not present the false quotation as fact.

In 2009, he was sentenced to twelve weeks' imprisonment and a one-year driving ban. His Jaguar subsequently collided with a stationary car and a man died, but the judge, police and later Court of Appeal emphasised that the texting had stopped before the collision and had not caused it; Ahmed was not convicted of causing death by dangerous driving. After approximately sixteen days in custody, the Court of Appeal suspended the twelve-week sentence. His dangerous driving conviction remained in force.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

Baby Milk Action and a Labour MEP considered that his independence might be compromised: Ahmed had previously expressed sympathy for Nestlé's critics, then visited Pakistani facilities on a company-funded trip and said he had changed his mind. Ahmed registered the trip, denied receiving other payments at that stage and said he wanted to contribute to better practices. Nestlé rejected allegations of abusive commercial practices. No judicial wrongdoing has been established.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated