A NSW father accused of procuring his young daughter for sex believed she was old enough to decide if she should be "married" because it's what the "creator" said, a court has heard.
"If Allah says that she can get married when something happens then I agree with that," the father of the 12-year-old told his judge-alone trial on Thursday.
It's alleged the 63-year-old father, who can't be named, held an Islamic ceremony at his NSW home in January last year in which his daughter and a then 26-year-old man were "married".
The father also arranged a marital bed for the pair who stayed at his home the weekend after the wedding, it's further alleged.
While giving evidence on Thursday, he was pressed on whether he thought his daughter was old enough to make a decision about getting married.
"Yes. She is old enough to make that decision," he told the Sydney District Court.
"I agree with everything our creator says. If our creator says it's all right, it's all right."
Throughout the day, the father repeatedly said he tried to stop his daughter marrying the man more than twice her age but he had "to let her have what she wants".
"It's a woman's choice to get married," he said. "If she wants to get married you can't stop her."
Crown prosecutor Siobhan Herbert then asked incredulously: "You can't stop a 12-year-old from getting married?"
"That's right," the father replied.
Earlier on Thursday, the father said he consented to the "marriage" on the day it happened because he was worried he would lose his daughter.
On that day, he also advised her against using contraceptive pills as they caused breast cancer, the court heard.
"It's a medical thing," he said.
About the time the girl met the man, the father was reading about when Muslim women should be married.
He was asked whether she should be married when she reached puberty.
"That's what Allah says," he said.
The trial continues.
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