A man who encouraged his teenage son to marry and rape his 12-year-old cousin has been jailed. The 54-year-old organised a sham Muslim ceremony between his son, then 16, and the girl at his home in Woolwich, south-east London, in March last year. At Wood Green Crown Court the boy got an 18-month supervision order for rape. The fathers of the boy and girl were both jailed for three years for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following an illegal marriage. The boy's mother, 54, was given a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years, for the same offence. She was also ordered to do 200 hours of community service. The offences are incomprehensible and the victim is a truly brave girl

Det Insp Noel McHugh The case came to light when the mother of the girl, who objected to the arranged "marriage", told police about it. Scotland Yard child abuse detectives then discovered several relatives of the boy had urged him to rape his cousin. In a statement, the girl's mother said: "What happened to my daughter was a nightmare. These convictions will help us move on." Speaking after the case, Det Insp Noel McHugh, who led the investigation, called it a "really awful crime". He said: "This has been an exceptionally challenging investigation and we are grateful to all those who assisted with the case and ensured the convictions. "The offences are incomprehensible and the victim is a truly brave girl who suffered at the hands of those who should have offered her protection." The girl's father, 29, and the boy, now 17, were ordered to sign the sex offenders register. Neither the victim nor any of the guilty parties can be named for legal reasons.



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