Imam pleads guilty to allowing illegal marriage of children at Mosque
The marriage ceremony took place at the Central Mosque Northampton
Last updated 9th Oct 2025
An imam has pleaded guilty to illegally allowing two children to marry each other at a mosque, police said.
Northamptonshire Police said Ashraf Osmani, 52, of Abington Avenue, Northampton, conducted an Islamic marriage ceremony, also known as a nikkah, in November 2023 involving two 16-year-old children at the city's Central Mosque, where he is the serving imam.
Police said he pleaded guilty at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Thursday to a charge under Section 121 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, which means a person has caused a child to get married before they turn 18.
The Bangladesh-born British national was bailed to appear at Northampton Crown Court on November 20 for sentencing, police said.