Court reveals details of ruling to void marriage of teen girl

The High Court has publically released a ruling in which the unregistered marriage of a 16-year-old Egyptian girl to a 29 year old man was declared void.

It found the girl, who is not an Irish citizen, had not given her full, free informed consent to the marriage which took place in September 2010, at an Islamic centre.

The HSE took this case over concerns that the parents of the teenager had forced her to marry.

She was assessed by care workers as being at high risk of sexual and emotional abuse, and they formed the view she needed to be immediately removed from living with this man.

After a private hearing in 2011, Mr Justice John McMenamin ruled the marriage was void, as the girl, then a minor, had not given her informed consent.

His decision has only now been made public as the judge believed at the time that publicity would adversely affect the girl's welfare.

Having spent time in care, the girl asked to be reunited with her parents and her mother has taken her to Egypt in breach of undertakings to the court.

The judge said every effort has been made to bring the girl back to Ireland but as yet to no avail.