Police are accused of turning a blind eye to sharia courts in Britain as figures present simply three per cent of honour crimes are prosecuted
Police forces across Britain have been accused of turning a blind eye to sharia courts after figures revealed just three per cent of honour crimes were prosecuted last year.
The distressing data shows that the police have repeatedly failed to prosecute and prevent honour-based abuse such as forced marriages, honour killings and female genital mutilation.
On top of this, the rise of sharia courts within some Muslim communities has only made it more difficult for the state to intervene.
Campaigners claim the courts have created a parallel justice system operating behind closed doors with no oversight from the government.
Currently, there are believed to be as many as 85 sharia councils operating across the country.
Even when offences are reported to the police many are not prosecuted.
In 2025, 2,949 honour-related offences were recorded in Britain, but only 95 defendants were prosecuted.
And between 2022 and 2024, less than 150 offenders were prosecuted of the 5763 offences reported.
Sharia law advocates in east London in 2015. Currently, there are believed to be as many as 85 sharia councils operating across the country
The Conservative’s shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy (pictured) has demanded ‘there can only be one rule of law’ in the UK
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the Conservative’s shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy claimed the British state has ‘turned a blind eye to sharia courts spreading across our country’.
‘There can only be one rule of law,’ The MP said.
Sharia courts – which are not bound by the Arbitration Act that guarantees some level of Governmental regulation – are mostly used by Muslims to manage family and marital affairs, including divorce and remarriage.
In the past Imams have been accused of facilitating underage marriage, polygamy, and encouraging women to return to abusive husbands.
Rebecca Paul MP, a Conservative member of the Commons women and equalities committee, said: ‘There is nothing at all “honourable” about these crimes – they are attacks on women and girls who dare to make their own choices on what they wear, who they love and what they do in life.’
She added that ‘more tailored support’ for Muslim women facing domestic abuse would be need as well as an ‘assertive approach to integration’.
