Imam sentenced for conducting illegal marriage ceremony in Northampton
The 52-year-old has avoided prison.
A 52-year-old imam from Northampton has been sentenced to 15 weeks in jail, suspended for a year, after conducting an illegal marriage ceremony involving two 16-year-olds.
Ashraf Osmani, an imam at Northampton's Central Mosque, was found to have presided over an Islamic nikah service in November 2023, unaware that legislation had raised the minimum marriage age in England to 18 earlier that year.
Northampton Crown Court heard that Osmani agreed to perform the ceremony for £50 after the couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were turned down by another mosque.
High Court Judge Mr Justice Choudhury told Osmani: "Your approach can only be described as negligent. You ought to have known the law had changed," but accepted there was no violence or coercion and that the couple had married voluntarily.
The judge described the imam’s actions as "a serious mistake" but acknowledged his regret, adding: "It (the sentence) means you must keep out of trouble, which I am sure you will do, over the next year."
The court heard that Osmani checked the couple’s passports and had them complete the mosque’s application form before conducting the ceremony. Prosecutor Jennifer Newcomb confirmed the marriage was non-legally binding and the couple celebrated with friends afterwards.
Defence barrister James Gray described Osmani as a respected figure who had "made one mistake in 20 years of conducting nikah ceremonies," insisting there had been no defiance of the law and pointing out that marrying 16-year-olds remains legal in Scotland.
Gray argued the incident was isolated, stating: "Had he known of the change in the law he wouldn’t have done it. He was doing everything he could to stay within the boundaries of the law."
Osmani, who left court without comment, has been ordered to remain out of trouble for the next year as part of his sentence.