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	Statutes of Northern Ireland
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AGE OF MARRIAGE ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1951

AGE OF MARRIAGE ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1951 - LONG TITLE

An Act to make void marriages between persons either of whom is
under the age of sixteen.
[20th December 1951]
Avoidance of marriages where either party is under sixteen.

AGE OF MARRIAGE ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1951 - SECT 1

1.(1) A marriage between persons either of whom is under the age
of sixteen shall be void:

Provided that in any proceedings against a person charged under
sub-section (1) of section five of the Criminal Law Amendment Act,
1885, or charged with indecent assault, it shall be a sufficient
defence to prove that at the time when the offence is alleged to
have been committed he had reasonable cause to believe that the
girl in respect of whom it is alleged to have been committed was
his wife.

(2) Nothing in this section shall affect any marriage solemnized or
contracted before the passing of this Act, and any such marriage
shall be or become valid in any case where, if this section had
not been passed, it would be or become valid.

AGE OF MARRIAGE ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1951 - SECT 2
Consequential amendment of 1924 c.27.

2. A single woman who has been delivered of a child may, upon
proof that before the birth she was a party to what but for the
passing of this Act would have been a valid marriage and that the
other party thereto had access to her within twelve months before
the birth of the child, make at any time an application under
section two of the Illegitimate Children (Affiliation Orders) Act
(Northern Ireland), 1924, for a summons to be issued under that
section for the appearance of the said party before a court of
summary jurisdiction notwithstanding that he may not within the
twelve months next after the birth of the child have paid money
for its maintenance.

AGE OF MARRIAGE ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1951 - SECT 3
Short title.

3. This Act may be cited as the Age of Marriage Act (Northern
Ireland), 1951.