A Nottingham husband and wife have received suspended sentences after admitting to arranging marriages for two boys under 18 by taking them to Pakistan. The offence came to light when police were alerted following a referral from one boy’s school.
Secret Trip To Pakistan
The couple took the teenage boys, both aged 17 at the time, to Pakistan with the intention of finding marriage partners. One boy rejected a proposed match, but the other was married in a Nikah ceremony—a religious marriage recognised under Islamic and Pakistani law.
Digital Evidence Uncovered
Phone records contradicted the defendants’ claims that the trip was a holiday and that the idea to marry came from the boys themselves. Messages revealed the defendants actively sought marriage arrangements, including discussions about finding a “rishta” and negotiating with another family alongside video footage of the wedding and money exchanges.
Legal Context And Court Ruling
The offence breaches laws introduced in 2023 in England and Wales, raising the minimum marriage age to 18 and criminalising conduct that causes under-18s to enter marriage. The defendants stated they were unaware of the new legislation. The prosecution accepted no coercion was involved but emphasised ignorance of the law is no defence.
Sentence Delivered At Nottingham Crown
On 15 May, the couple pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court and were sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with a requirement to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
