Romany Gypsy offers £3,500 for a 15-year-old wife for his son: Immigrant 'patriarch' caught on camera arranging illegal marriage - and he even tried to get a 13-year-old bride

New documentary follows two Roma Gypsy families living in the UK

Recent arrivals abide by traditional code supporting teen marriage

Sees patriarchs relentless search for young brides for their sons

Channel 4's The Gypsy Matchmaker starts at 10pm on September 3



Romany Gypsies are arranging illegal underage marriages in Britain - even offering thousands in exchange for eligible teenage girls.

The traditional practice goes against the law in the UK, where the youngest one can marry is at 16, the age of sexual consent.

A new documentary sees a Roma father relentlessly search for a teen bride for his 14-year-old son - even offering £3,500 for one 'popular' young girl.

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Shanko, the patriarch of one Roma Gypsy family, relentlessly searches for a suitable teenage bride

A reported quarter of a million Roma Gypsies now live in Britain, where some families continue to follow ancient codes.

A new documentary follows two families from this growing diaspora who have recently emigrated from Hungary and Romania to the UK.

The new arrivals 'see themselves as different from the more established Gypsy and Traveller communities who have lived in Britain for generations' and refuse to adjust their behaviour to abide by the laws of this country.



They practise a conservative Gypsy code called Pachiv, which states the head of the family must always be obeyed and encourages marriage soon after hitting puberty.

Filmmaker Ben Steele follows them as they try to find suitors for their youngsters for a C hannel 4 documentary.

The factual series, called The Gypsy Matchmaker, sees the patriarch of one family relentlessly search for a suitable tee nage bride for his 14-year-old son.

The documentary follows father and son as they visit an unsuspecting 15-year-old 'potential match'

Sanko, 48, has nine children and 15 grandchildren, and Ben observes he 'is determined to see Adrian, his youngest, married as soon as possible' in an article for the Independent.

Adrian, who still attends school in Oldham, says his main priority is learning Gypsy traditions passed down from his father in preparation for married life.

The documentary follows them as they visit an unsuspecting 15- year-old Romany girl called Esme and offer her grandmother £3,500 to secure her hand in marriage.

'She is a young girl. We'll train her. We won't beat her. In a few years' time she'll be a patient wife'

Ben observes these deposits are indeed commonplace but weddings can also take place without money changing hands.

However with other potential suitors interested in Esme, Sanko wants to ensure he 'wins her' for his son.

Adrian's mother tells Ben about Esme: 'She is a young girl. We'll train her. We won't beat her. In a few years' time she'll be a patient wife.'

She has had little contact with Adrian aside from one dance at a Gypsy Ball and her grandmother, who no longer approves of early marriage customs, eventually refuses the offer.

Sanko and Adrian continue to travel among a network of Gypsy families, from Bradford to Bolton and ultimately to Hungary in search of a girl to marry.



There are complex family arrangements, heated arguments and formal marriage proposals, including negotiations in which the potential bride is just 13-years-old.

Not good: Despite lying to the police, the girl is eventually taken into care - as are his own two daughters

In Rotherham, patriarch Huko is responsible for a large clan, including a pregnant 14-year-old girl living in an unlawful marriage with Huko's nephew.



It's not long before the police and social services come knocking at the door with child protection concerns.

Steele observes many Romany Gypsies who support and practice early marriage openly, thus breaking the law and falling into conflict with the authorities.

While these families feel compelled to practice customs which are not only illegal but morally unacceptable in contemporary Britain, they do worry that authorities will take their children away .



Channel 4's The Gypsy Matchmaker starts at 10pm on September 3

Different ideas: Romanian Roma gypsy Huko lives with his nephew, 23, and his 14-year-old pregnant wife