Dublin couple plead not guilty to FGM and child cruelty charges

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The unnamed parents pleaded not guilty to carrying out female genital mutilation on their daughter and to one count of child cruelty. The charges relate to 16 September 2016, when the girl was almost two years old.

The proceedings were reported on 26 November 2019. The trial was continuing before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Dr Deborah Hodes, a consultant paediatrician and FGM expert, told the court that footage of examinations supported her conclusion that the girl had undergone FGM. She said the explanation that the girl fell backwards onto a toy did not fit the clinical findings, including the absence of other injuries or bruising.

The father told the court through an interpreter that the injury was an accident. He said a ball he squeezed had frightened his daughter, causing her to walk backwards and fall onto the toy; his back was turned when she fell. He denied cutting her or allowing anyone else to do so.

The father said there had been blood on the toy. The court had previously heard that no blood was found on it, but that the girl’s mother had cleaned it after the alleged incident. Both parents denied carrying out FGM.