NSW man jailed for attempting to force marriage of his children

Editor’s note: TV recordings available via Hightail

A New South Wales man was jailed today (October 4, 2024) for trying to arrange separate forced marriages for two of his teenage children, aged 15 and 17 at the time.

The man, 51, was sentenced at Downing Center District Court to a total prison term of three years and four months for both charges, with a non-parole period of one year and 11 months.

This case follows the first successful conviction and sentence for forced marriage in Australia in July.

The AFP Eastern Command Human Trafficking Team began an investigation in February 2022, after the two children sought help from NSW Police in the hours after escaping from their father’s home in regional NSW.

The siblings moved to Australia from overseas with their father in 2021.

Once in Australia, the siblings learned that their father was actively trying to organize their respective weddings, against their wishes. The siblings weren’t sure who they would marry, or when the weddings would take place.

In the days following the children’s escape, AFP officers executed a search warrant at the father’s home, seizing mobile phones containing evidence of the attempts to arrange the marriages, including messages about planning the weddings.

This case was prosecuted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Commonwealth) and on 17 October 2023 the man pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted forced marriage, contrary to sections 11.1(1), 270.7B and 270.8 of the Act. Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

The siblings have been supported by a specialist youth organization that works with children and young people affected by forced marriage.

AFP commander Kate Ferry said Australia is not immune to human trafficking, and the crime is often under-reported because people may not be aware they are victims or that they can seek help from police.

“There are generally two types of forced marriages. First, unwilling participants are threatened, deceived, or coerced into marriage. The other is where someone cannot legally consent to marriage because of their age,” Commander Ferry said.

“These types of crimes typically involve perpetrators who offend younger, more vulnerable family members. In many situations, a young victim does not want his family to get into trouble with the police, which is why no report is filed.”

AFP Sergeant Chantal Pravaz said the prosecution would not have been possible without the courage of the victims to come forward.

“The victims placed their trust in the AFP and their openness helped our investigation,” she said.

“The AFP is here to help all victims of human trafficking and we will work tirelessly to ensure the well-being of victims trying to escape their situation. Reports of forced marriages are handled on a case-by-case basis to ensure the most appropriate solution for the victims. Every case is handled with compassion, care and respect.

“It is important to remember that not all reports result in a prosecution – sometimes we can achieve a positive outcome by helping someone get out of a difficult situation, or by directly educating everyone involved so that a marriage does not materialize .”

The number of human trafficking complaints to the AFP has increased, with the AFP receiving 382 reports in the 2023-2024 financial year – 91 of which were allegations of forced marriage. This is an increase of 42 reports compared to the previous financial year (2022-2023), when the AFP received 340 reports. However, it remains a form of crime that the police believe is underreported.

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, help is available. For information and confidential advice, please contact the AFP by calling 131AFP, Beyond Blue or My Blue Sky.

Visit our website for more information about human trafficking, including the signs that someone is at risk of being trafficked.

The media is reminded of their obligations under section 15A of the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), section 15YR of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) and section 105 of the Children and Young Person (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW).