A father has been jailed for 14 weeks after his 14 year old daughter was married off to a Bangladeshi man on her birthday. The husband, who is now in Bangladesh, went on later to allegedly assault her sexually.
A Manchester newspaper reported that she was woken up on her 14th birthday and forced to marry a man aged in his 30s in the lounge of her family home. Her father has now been jailed after he admitted child cruelty.
The girl’s husband, now in Bangladesh, went on to have intercourse with her forcefully.
The newspaper reported that she had no idea what was going on during the ceremony, which was performed by an Imam, or the language being spoken, but was ‘pinched’ by a relative at certain points to indicate that she should speak, a court was told.
The Manchester Crown Court heard that she was woken up on the morning of her 14th birthday and asked to stay back at home, while her siblings went off to school. She was then dressed by relatives in wedding finery and jewelry and married off to the much older man by imams, who conducted the ceremony in Bengali. It took place at the family home in Longsight in 2013. She did not understand the language. An aunt stood behind her and pinched her at the appropriate time for her to speak. Once the ceremony finished, she was immediately changed back to normal clothes.
The case came to light when the girl ran away from home and flagged down a passing police car.
Elizabeth Nichols, prosecuting, said there were ‘cultural pressures’ forced on the girl’s father by others and he was ‘not alone’ in facilitating the marriage, but said he was ‘uniquely placed’ to protect her.
Her father, who has no previous convictions, was in Bangladesh at the time she ran away but returned home at once and surrendered. But the court heard that in initial interviews, he reportedly told police that a birthday party had taken place and the Imam attended to give his daughter a blessing.
The defence lawyer reportedly said that her father now ‘displayed real insight’ and posed no threat after being placed on a series of forced marriage courses.
He said: “He did not envisage or wish any harm to come to his daughter.
"He would never have consented, and did not consent, to any physical contact. The marriage, in my submission, is clearly void. The complainant has not given her consent.
“A message has clearly has to be sent out to communities. Values and beliefs have to be adapted.”
Judge Patrick Field QC said the ceremony was ‘beyond her understanding’ because she didn’t speak Bengali.
He told her father: “It was not your intention that there should be any physical contact between husband and wife until she was 18.
“But this case is brought against you because you are her father. You owe to her certain grave duties.
"Duties to nurture and to protect your daughter during her childhood. You were in breach of those duties. By forcing her into this union you betrayed her.
“It is important to stress that the law of England and Wales is that young girls should be free from such a threat and the courts will be diligent in enforcing this law.”
No charges are being brought against anyone else.
