Crown prosecutor

"We have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution," Michael Quinn, deputy chief crown prosecutor, said.

Senior crown prosecutor, Kelly Newman, said Wilkes was a "highly dangerous individual with an obscene interest in knives and violence".

“We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4, Sunday Times and Times investigation in September 2023,” Crown Prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said in a statement.

Lisa Kiff, a senior Crown prosecutor, said: "His crimes are among the very worst I have encountered in my career."

Nazir Afzal, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West of England, tells us that "thoughtful legislation" would "offer protections" to people coerced into cousin marriage.