“His failure to do so was a criminal act"
An imam who officiated a wedding ceremony for an underage couple has been sentenced in the first case under new child marriage laws.
Ashraf Osmani carried out a Nikah ceremony at Northampton’s Central Mosque for two 16-year-olds. The ceremony took place after the legal marriage age rose to 18 in England and Wales.
The case emerged after safeguarding concerns were reported to Northamptonshire Police. Prosecutors reviewed the evidence and considered the public interest before authorising charges.
The Crown Prosecution Service charged Osmani with two counts of conduct intended to cause a child to enter a marriage. He pleaded guilty to both offences.
Osmani was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court and received a suspended sentence of 15 weeks’ imprisonment.
Samantha Shallow, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor at CPS East Midlands, said:
“This prosecution enforces new legislation brought in to protect young people.
“Although the young people involved requested this ceremony, it is unlawful to conduct any form of binding marriage ceremony on people under the age of 18.
“Ashraf Osmani claimed he was unaware of the change in legislation, but as a significant figure in his faith community, it was his responsibility to be aware of and abide by the law.
“His failure to do so was a criminal act and this prosecution was required to protect young, vulnerable people.”
Prosecutors confirmed the relationship was consensual and involved no coercion or force. However, the law exists to protect children regardless of consent.
Forced marriage cases often involve threats, coercion and violence, sometimes from family or community members. These pressures can prevent victims from recognising abuse or reporting it.
CPS prosecutors are specially trained in honour-based abuse and forced marriage cases. They work closely with police and partners to protect victims and pursue offenders.
Jaswant Narwal, CPS national lead for honour-based abuse, said:
“This conviction sends a clear message: child marriage is illegal in England and Wales, no matter the circumstances.
“We know many ‘honour’-based offences remain shrouded in secrecy but we are determined to bring them to light and hold offenders to account.
“Anyone thinking of coming forward should know we will support you, the law will protect you and we will pursue justice relentlessly.”
Campaigner Payzee Mahmod welcomed the outcome after pushing for years to raise the legal marriage age. She endured child marriage herself.
She said: “As a survivor of child marriage who has campaigned for years to raise the legal marriage age, I know first-hand the lasting impact that early marriage can leave, emotionally, physically, and socially.
“Today’s sentence is a vital reminder that the justice system must continue to prioritise the protection of children and hold those who exploit them to account.
“We must also recognise that prosecutions in cases like this depend on robust data, from the police flagging honour-based abuse and forced marriage, to the Crown Prosecution Service using that data to identify trends and bring cases forward.
“Only by collecting and analysing the right information can we ensure these crimes don’t go unpunished, and that survivors’ stories are not dismissed or overlooked.
“I commend the CPS for today’s outcome, but we must not let this be the exception. We need sustained commitment to bring more perpetrators to justice, and to prevent child marriages in the first place.”
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