Mother convicted of tricking her teenage daughter to travel and marry older man

A mother has been convicted of duping her teenage daughter to go to Pakistan and forcing her to marry, in the first successful prosecution of its type.

Mother convicted of tricking her teenage daughter to travel and marry older man

A mother has been convicted of duping her teenage daughter to go to Pakistan and forcing her to marry, in the first successful prosecution of its type.

The woman was found guilty following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, where a jury heard how the victim had sobbed as she was married to a male relative 16 years her senior.

Years earlier, the man had taken the girl's virginity after a marriage contract was entered into against the girl's will.

The then 13-year-old had to undergo an abortion on returning to the UK, with her GP reporting his concerns to social services.

It is the first time a forced marriage case of this kind has been successfully prosecuted in a criminal court in England, with the mother convicted of actively deceiving the girl in order to convince her to travel.

Jurors heard how as the girl had approached her 18th birthday, she was tricked by her mother into going to Pakistan on what she believed was a family holiday.

The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons to protect the identity of the victim, was convicted of deceiving the victim to go to Pakistan, in order to enter into a false marriage, forced marriage and perjury, after she later lied about the incident in the High Court.

Giving evidence during the trial, the girl told how wedding preparations went ahead despite her objections.

The couple were then married in September 2016, after she had celebrated her 18th birthday.

The teenager had described how she was taken to get ready for the ceremony, and there an imam gave her papers to sign and asked if she wanted to get married.

The victim - under pressure from her mother - had to say "I do" or "I accept" three times, before signing.

Jurors heard the complainant recall how she cried to her mother, who continued leading her by the arm to meet her husband-to-be, and then put on her ring.

She said: "I didn't want to get married to him."

Back in the UK, after concerns were raised by the authorities, the girl's mother was summonsed to the High Court, and there lied on oath, stating that her daughter had not been married.

Jurors also heard how years earlier, following her abortion, the teenager had turned to drink and drugs.

After a referral to children's services about the pregnancy, her mother "made all the right noises" according to prosecutors, claiming her daughter and the man were just "two teenagers who had sneakily had sex".

Opening the case, prosecutor Deborah Gould said the victim was "a young girl who has been let down badly by her mother, whose love and attention she craves".

As the verdicts were read, the defendant appeared shocked and was remanded in custody for sentencing on Wednesday, as her daughter watched from the public gallery.

Judge Patrick Thomas QC told the jury the adjournment was appropriate as the case was "entirely novel", with no other relevant case law to rely upon.

- PA

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks
Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon
French legislators ponder law to ban discrimination based on a person’s hair French legislators ponder law to ban discrimination based on a person’s hair
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited