Jail Sentence for Father of Child Bride

Twelve Year Old Girl Married in Ceremony at Family Home

The father of a twelve year old girl has been sentenced to six years in jail after he allowed her marriage.  The girl, now thirteen, was married to a 26-year-old man in a ceremony by a local sheikh at the family home in the Hunter Valley last year. Since the marriage took place the young girl has experienced a miscarriage. In sentencing the father Judge Sweeney commented on the seriousness of the crime and the father’s failure in his duty to protect his daughter. The man she was married to is serving a sentence of  seven and a half year. These sentences are also seen as a deterrence to others.  Forced and Child Marriage is not acceptable and is illegal in Australia. Read more…