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Forced marriageVerified against official source
This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.
Statutory range
Summary — s. 121 forced marriage
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 12 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Includes the deception offence (luring a person abroad for forced marriage). Victims lacking capacity: any conduct to cause the marriage suffices.
On indictment — s. 121 forced marriage
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 7 years
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Breach of a forced marriage protection order (s. 120)
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Per GOV.UK circular 010/2014; charging provision not retrieved from legislation.gov.uk in this pass.
s. 121(9). Summary reference to 12 months reads as 6 months for offences committed before Sentencing Act 2020 Sch. 22 para. 24(2). The FMPO-breach tier (5 years) is per the official GOV.UK circular 010/2014.