Forced marriage parents face jail

Parents who force their children to marry will face jail under new laws, the Home Secretary will announce.

Theresa May will announce plans to make forced marriage a criminal offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It comes after warnings that up to 8,000 young women a year are forced into marriages without their consent.

But campaigners have warned that criminalising forced marriage altogether could deter victims from coming forward.

The Home Office consultation, which closed at the end of March, was launched at the request of Prime Minister David Cameron, who said last year that forced marriage was "little more than slavery" and "completely wrong".

The new law is expected to distinguish between arranged marriages and forced marriages where there is no consent.

Mrs May is also expected to announce a £500,000 fund to help schools and other agencies know how to spot early signs of a forced marriage.

A Government advertising campaign will also aim to highlight the right to choose who you marry.