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In a shocking ruling, judges determined a teenage girl was free to pursue a sexual relationship with her 47-year-old uncle after the pair fled together.

The girl, known only as Josephine, was summoned to court after her parents sought an injunction to prevent their daughter from maintaining contact with her older relative, on the grounds it posed a serious risk to her wellbeing.

The pair ran away to the south of France, where Josephine - who was just 14 at the time in 2016 - told police she had left of her own free will and was romantically involved with the man, who is her uncle by marriage.

The teenager challenged her parents' court injunction and emerged victorious from her legal battle, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The German court ruled that, as she is above the age of 14 - the legal age of sexual consent in the country - her personal wishes must be taken into account, the Telegraph reports, reports the Daily Star.

Magistrates stated preventing further contact with her uncle could cause "serious damage in her social-emotional and mental development", though stressed this did not imply they endorsed or condoned the relationship, the newspaper reports.

According to the Telegraph, judges stated in their verdict: "The court does not offer any opinion on the non-judicial question of whether a 47-year-old married man should return the love of a 14-year-old fired by adolescent affection and enthusiasm.

The case emerged ahead of news that an Oklahoma woman married two of her own biological children - and attempted to embark on a romance with a third. P

atricia Spann's deeply disturbing love triangle was accidentally brought to light by authorities, tearing the family apart as both mother and daughter were sentenced to prison.

Spann's eldest son, who claims she attempted to seduce him, labelled her "worthless", "disgusting" and a "predator", according to People magazine.

"I think she's just a sick, twisted individual that has something messed up in her head," Cody Spann told People in September 2016.

Spann told investigators she had lost custody of her three children when they were young, after which they were adopted and raised by their paternal grandmother.

When they reached adulthood, Spann re-established contact with her estranged children around 2007.

The three siblings spent a great deal of time with Spann, though they had no idea she was their adoptive mother, as she had presented herself merely as a friend.

She became particularly close to Jody, who had joined the US Army Reserve as a teenager, during the period they all lived in Texas.

So close, in fact, that in 2008 she married the then 18-year-old, who was allegedly unaware she was his biological mother, as her name had been removed from his birth certificate and replaced with his grandmother's.

The shocking truth came to light when the family relocated to Oklahoma, where the children's grandmother revealed that Jody's new wife was in fact his own mother.

Cody disclosed that his brother was desperately keen to break free from their mother's grip, but alleged that Jody had been "manipulated, forced and threatened" once the devastating truth came to light.

That marriage was annulled by Jody in March 2010 for reasons of 'incest', according to reports, though Oklahoma authorities chose not to pursue charges.

Spann subsequently claimed their relationship was not sexual and that she was attempting to shield him from being deployed into military service.

Cody was devastated that his reunion with his biological mother developed under such appalling circumstances.

"The relationship may be socially undesirable and unacceptable, but it is not covered by criminal law, and not categorically forbidden."

The outcome represents the end of a prolonged battle between the girl and her parents, who had placed her in a psychiatric hospital for five months following their prohibition of the relationship.