A TURKISH court yesterday refused to release from prison an 18 year old unemployed Turkish waiter arrested for statutory rape of a 13 year old British girl, Sarah Cook, whom he married in a Muslim ceremony with her parents consent.
The Anatolian news agency reported that the appeal by Mr Musa Komeagac was rejected by the local court in Kahramanmaras, the central Anatolian city where the couple have lived with the youth's parents since marrying two weeks ago.
Sarah Cook's mother arrived in Turkey on Wednesday night and started attempts to sort out the international wrangle over the marriage.
The child bride was made a ward of court by a senior judge in London after an application to the Family Division of the High Court by lawyers for Essex County Council social services.
The judge ordered Sarah returned to the jurisdiction of the British court and that after her return her parents should be restrained from removing her without court permission.
Local officials have voiced support for Sarah, who has told Turkish television she is very happy and wants to be left alone.
The mayor of Kahramanmaras said he wanted to help the couple and that in two months' time when Sarah apparently turns 14, he hoped to perform a civil ceremony that would be binding under Turkish law.
"The fact that a British bride has come to our province and accepted our religion is a very joyous event. I am ready to do everything to help them," he said.
Under Turkish law, civil marriage can be performed for people between the ages of 15 and 18 with permission of parents, while 14 year old girls can marry under extenuating circumstances.
The religious wedding ceremony between Sarah and Mr Komeagac, whom she met on a Turkish holiday last year, is not officially recognised in Turkey but couples are free to have it performed.
Turkish officials investigating the death of a left wing reporter in police custody have stripped 15 policemen, including a local police chief, from their duties pending charges, the Anatolian news agency said yesterday. The reporter, Met in Goktepe, was detained on January 8th while covering the funeral of left wing inmates killed in a prison riot.
He was found dead later that night and an official autopsy said he died from a brain haemorrhage brought on by blows to the head.