Courts / Dublin / Report

Female genital mutilation accused told gardai he was "doing everything to save girls"

Date
2019-11-25

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 37‑year‑old man and a 27‑year‑old woman pleaded not guilty to one count of female genital mutilation (FGM) and one count of child cruelty for allegedly mutilating their one‑year‑old daughter on 16 September 2016. The woman, who said she was a victim of FGM as a child in Somalia, claimed the daughter's injury was caused by a toy, not a blade, and that no FGM had been performed. She described being questioned by Gardaí on 22 September 2016 and said doctors had suggested the child had been mutilated. The man, who had lived in Ireland since 2008, stated he had never witnessed FGM, that he opposed it, and that the injury occurred after the child was changed and ran away. The trial was set to continue before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Female genital mutilation accused told gardai he was "doing everything to save girls". Charges or matters: one count of child cruelty on the same day. Procedural stage: trial

When:

September 16, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
September 22, 2016 Incident
December 13, 2016 Incident
2019-11-25 Publication

Why: The accused woman told gardaí she felt the doctors said her daughter had a "circumcision" because she is a Muslim, she is black and in her country "they do that". CNI source report