Courts / Dublin / Report

Parents lying if injury explanation not reasonably possible, State tells FGM trial

Date
2019-11-27

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, claiming their one‑year‑old daughter was injured by falling on a toy. Prosecutor Shane Costelloe argued that the parents' explanation was not reasonably possible, citing medical evidence that only the glans and body of the clitoris were excised, with no bruising or lesions elsewhere. He asserted the parents permitted the FGM and were present during the act, failing to intervene. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald and Patrick Gageby countered that the parents were loving, caring, and had no history of abuse, and that the alleged fall was hearsay. The trial was set to continue before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Parents lying if injury explanation not reasonably possible, State tells FGM trial. Charges or matters: one count of child cruelty on the same day. Procedural stage: trial

When:

September 16, 2016 Incident
2019-11-27 Publication

Why: Mr Gageby said his client said in interview that she would never do this to her daughter because something like this had happened to her. CNI source report