Parents Jailed for Forcing Teen Sons into Marriage Abroad

A husband and wife from Nottingham have received suspended prison sentences for arranging the marriages of their sons, who were under 18 at the time, in Pakistan in early 2023. The couple, aged in their 50s and 40s, were unaware that a new law, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022, effective February 27, 2023, made it a criminal offense to cause a child under 18 to enter a marriage, even without coercion.

The couple were arrested in June 2023 following concerns raised by a place of education. Investigations revealed messages and photographs on their phones confirming their intent to find spouses for their sons in Pakistan. During the court proceedings, it was noted that one son initially rejected a bride, who was then married to the other brother in an Islamic wedding ceremony (Nikkah).

Nottingham Crown Court heard that while there was no evidence of threats or coercion, the parents acted on "misguided cultural beliefs." Judge James Sampson acknowledged the absence of malice but emphasized the responsibility to safeguard children's interests. He stated that the bride, though reportedly 18, was treated as "chattel" after being rejected by one son. Both parents received two-month sentences, suspended for 12 months, and were ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community work.