Birmingham man jailed for forced marriage attempt in Pakistan

A Birmingham man who tried to force his niece into an arranged marriage and threatened her with a gun when she refused has been jailed.

The 55-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was jailed for seven years at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

The man was convicted at the court earlier this month for attempting to force the victim into marriage when she was aged 18. He and his 43-year-old wife were also found guilty of child cruelty.

During a three-week trial the court heard the couple had mistreated the girl in Pakistan after she was born in Birmingham, where she was initially raised by her uncle and aunt after her mother returned to Pakistan due to a visa issue.

She was deprived of food, clothing, hygiene and medical care and made to feel like a "nobody" through verbal, emotional and physical abuse, the jury heard.

She was taken to Pakistan when she was 10, where she lived in abysmal conditions before returning to the UK four years later.

From happy in Birmingham to locked up in Pakistan

At this point she lived with another aunt in Birmingham, where she enjoyed living and went on to complete her education and get a job.

But in July 2016 the victim, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, travelled to Pakistan to visit her mother who was unwell.

When she arrived in Pakistan, her uncle seized her passport and locked her in his house where he tried to force her into an arranged marriage. When she refused, he threatened her with a gun and told her to either get married to a husband of his choosing or die.

She later found a way to escape thanks to a friend she made in Pakistan, who smuggled a phone to her and she called the British Embassy for help.

In September 2017 she was rescued and returned to the UK where a Forced Marriage Prevention Order was issued for her protection. Despite this, more death threats were issued as well as threats to burn her aunt's family home in Pakistan.

And in December 2017 the home was indeed set on fire.

However the victim is now happily married to one of the men who helped her escape.

Her uncle, from the Witton area of Birmingham, was jailed for a total of seven years, while her aunt was given a one-year suspended sentence.

'No-one should go through the abuse I suffered'

At the sentencing, the court was read a powerful impact statement from the young woman, now aged 21.

In it she said: “The trial was extremely difficult for me because I feared for the safety of my maternal family in Pakistan. Pressure was being put on them for me to drop the case.

"During the court case pressure to drop the case continued from the community and, at times, I felt the case would stop and I would never get justice.

“Coming this far hasn’t been easy for me but I am content that justice has been served.

“No-one should have to go through the type of abuse that I suffered.

“Education and right to marry of free will are basic human rights and nobody should be deprived of them.”

'Savage beatings'

The uncle's sentence was made up of four years for forced marriage and three years for child cruelty, to be served consecutively, as well as one year for a second count of child cruelty to be served concurrently.

The aunt was convicted of one count of child cruelty.

Sentencing the couple, Judge Laird said the defendants had “very sadly neglected, mistreated and assaulted” their niece, referring to beatings as “frequent and at times savage” with a “deliberate disregard for the welfare of the victim”.

He told the victim’s uncle that he had treated his niece as a "second-class child in the family" and his wife should be "eternally ashamed".

He described the victim’s account of her rescue from Pakistan as “remarkable” but said she has now "forged a life for herself married to the man who helped her escape".

Lawrence English, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "I would like to commend the victim for her bravery and courage, which has not only helped to secure this conviction but gives hope to others who are being forced or coerced into a life they do not want.

"Forcing someone into marriage is a serious crime, and we will prosecute those responsible.”

• For more information on forced marriage and the help available visit west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/forced-marriage.