Muslim model, 24, is found hanged after fearing she was going to be forced into arranged marriage by her parents

• Nadia Menaz found dead at her home in Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Model and wedding planner died five months after taking out court order to stop her family from forcing her to marry 
• Mother-of-one had already married her husband in Islamic ceremony but her parents disapproved of relationship, inquest told
• Hearing told Ms Menaz had 'very strained' relationship with her parents and suffered from depression before her death

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Model Nadia Menaz (pictured) was found hanged after fearing she was about to be forced into an arranged marriage by her Muslim parents, an inquest heard

A model was found hanged after fearing she was about to be forced into an arranged marriage by her Muslim parents, an inquest heard.

Nadia Menaz, 24, was found dead at her home in Oldham, Greater Manchester in May, five months after taking out a court order to stop her family from forcing her to marry.

The mother-of-one had already married husband Umar Rasool in an Islamic ceremony, but her family did not approve of him and the union was not recognised under English law, Oldham Coroner's Court heard.

The hearing was told that Ms Menaz had a 'very strained' relationship with her parents. 

She had also suffered depression, and had self harmed, as well as cutting off her hair.

Ms Menaz, a former army cadet who had wanted to join the police but started modelling after leaving home at 16, had met Mr Rasool, 25, in 2010.

They began dating and had kept their relationship hidden from her parents until they married in an Islamic ceremony in April 2011.

The marriage was never formally confirmed under English law, but the couple had a daughter who was born in March 2012.

In December last year, Ms Menaz took out a forced marriage protection order at the Family Court in Manchester against her father Sabir Hussain, 60, her mother Ruksana Kousar, 55, and three of her eight siblings. 

According to government guidelines, the legislation protects women if they are being threatened with a forced marriage or are already within a forced marriage.

At inquest, Mr Hussain and Mrs Kousar denied attempting to force Ms Menaz into marriage and initially claimed they were unaware of the forced marriage protection order.

However, when questioned further they admitted they were aware of the order, before claiming their daughter had been murdered by a 'third party.'

Coroner Simon Nelson said Mr Hussain had made it clear in a statement he gave to police that he had issues over Ms Menaz's relationship with Mr Rasool.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Hussain told the hearing: 'Once she got married there was no point in having issues. He used to assault her physically. They used to have a lot of arguments at home.

'When I found out about the marriage protection order I was still in contact with her and totally shocked. I don't believe my daughter killed herself. 

All of her life I never realised and never sensed it that she was having any problems that could cause her death this way. I think my daughter has been killed and she has not died in the way described.'

Mr Hussain claimed that since his daughter's death he had received text messages from her phone number which said: 'Nadia has passed away but now it's your turn. You are going to be next.'

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Ms Menaz's cousin, Mohammad Nakash Ali (pictured), told the hearing she had been 'distressed' prior to her death

Mrs Kousar said: 'Nadia was already married and she had a daughter as well so there was no point of having this forced marriage protection order.'

Ms Menaz, the second youngest child of five sisters and three brothers who also worked as a wedding planner and florist, had been 'distressed' prior to her death, according to her cousin.

'She was quite distressed about quite a few things,' Mohammad Nakash Ali, told the hearing.

'It was mostly her family from what she told me and she had a quarrel with her husband which is normal with every relationship.

'She was stressed about her future and relationship and family and business and children. 

She vocalised her problems with her family in terms of her brother and relationship with her father and siblings.

'She told me she was stressed about things that had happened in the past and she was dealing with things by self-harming.

 She said her relationship with her immediate family was very strained, she tried very hard to make amends but it wouldn't work.'

In the weeks before her death Ms Menaz underwent psychiatric treatment at Royal Oldham Hospital but was later discharged.

On May 1, the day she died, she had argued with Mr Rasool, who then went to see his family and visit their local mosque, the court heard.

Ms Menaz had sent him a text saying she was going to hang herself, and when he returned home at around 6.30pm he found his wife's body.

Police investigations ruled out third party involvement and a post-mortem examination confirmed a cause of death as hanging. There were also wounds to Ms Menaz's thigh, which appeared to be self-inflicted.

When questioned by Mr Nelson at the hearing, Mr Rasool agreed that Ms Menaz's family 'weren't particularly happy with the fact of their relationship'.

'I was aware of the forced marriage protection order,' he added. 'She was being treated in hospital because of her depression and her life.

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Ms Menaz's body was discovered by her husband, Umar Rasool, 25, at her home in Oldham (pictured)

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Ms Menza married Mr Rasool in an Islamic ceremony but the marriage was never formally confirmed under English law. The couple had a daughter who was born in March 2012

HELPING WOMEN AT RISK: FORCED MARRIAGE PROTECTION ORDERS

A forced marriage is one which takes place without the consent of both parties, and usually involves some for of duress, which may include sexual, emotional, financial or physical pressure.

Traditionally it has been young women who were subject to forced marriage, but there have also been instances of men being forced to marry someone against their will. 

A potential victim, or someone they know, can apply for a forced marriage protection order (FMPO) if they are being threatened with forced marriage, or already in one.

This court order is designed to protect the subject of the order according to their individual needs, with measures put in place to prevent the marriage from taking place, for example by blocking their family or the organisers of the marriage from taking them out of the UK.

Measures can include confiscation of a passport, or restrictions on contacting the victim, and the orders can last either for a specified time period, or indefinitely.

FMPOs can be applied for at county courts in England and Wales, or at a High Court, and is a civil matter rather than a criminal one.

 However, breaching the order constitutes contempt of court, which carries a prison sentence of up to two years.

'That was when she cut her legs and was banging her head and cut her hair off. Nadia wanted to proceed with the discharge. 

We all agreed it at a meeting and she felt it would be better if she was at home. She would work endlessly despite me saying it was too much too quickly. Her mood deteriorated.

'On the day she was ringing me constantly but I couldn't answer because I was in mosque but she was saying "I'm going to die, I'm going to hang myself". That wasn't the first time she has done that.'

Mr Nelson said: 'It has been suggested by family members that a third party was responsible for Nadia's death.

 Were you in any way involved in either an altercation or alternatively the act of causing Nadia to be placed in the position you saw her when you returned?'

Mr Rasool said: 'I had no involvement.'

The inquest was adjourned and will be concluded at a later date.

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