Jennifer Newcomb of QEB Hollis Whiteman has prosecuted a faith leader for child marriage offences.
The defendant, an imam who officiated a wedding ceremony between two 16-year-olds, was sentenced to a fifteen-week term of imprisonment, suspended for a year, on 19th January 2026 at Northampton Crown Court. At a previous hearing, he had pleaded guilty to two counts of carrying out conduct for the purpose of causing a child to enter into a marriage. This was the first case of its kind under new legislation banning child marriage in England and Wales.
Jennifer was instructed by CPS Complex Case Unit. The CPS press release can be found here.
The case has been featured in national press:
Jennifer Newcomb