Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 9301Female genital mutilation · Co. Dublin · 16 Sep 2016

Couple's FGM convictions declared a miscarriage of justice

A married couple, the parents of a one-year-old girl, were charged with carrying out female genital mutilation on their daughter, an act alleged to have taken place at a Dublin address on 16 September 2016. A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found them guilty in November 2019, and they spent two years in prison, until the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions in 2021, finding the trial unfair. A retrial jury in 2023 failed to reach agreement, and the DPP dropped the charges after a Swedish FGM expert concluded in December 2023 that the child had never been subjected to the procedure and a later State-commissioned report broadly agreed. On 19 June 2026 the Court of Appeal ruled that newly discovered facts showed a miscarriage of justice and found on the balance of probabilities that the couple are factually innocent.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The couple were convicted of carrying out an act of female genital mutilation on their one-year-old daughter, and the convictions were later quashed.
Where
The alleged act was said to have taken place at a Dublin address.
When
The alleged female genital mutilation took place on 16 September 2016.
Charges
The couple were charged with carrying out an act of female genital mutilation on their daughter, and both pleaded not guilty.
In court
  • A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found the couple guilty in November 2019.
  • The Court of Appeal overturned the convictions in 2021, finding the trial unfair.
  • A jury at a retrial in 2023 failed to reach an agreement.
  • The DPP dropped the charges, first after the 2023 retrial and again after the new State-commissioned report.
Sentence
  • The couple spent two years in prison following their conviction.
  • On 19 June 2026 the Court of Appeal found, on the balance of probabilities, that the applicants are factually innocent and granted a certificate under section 9(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993.
Investigation
  • A Swedish female genital mutilation expert examined the child in December 2023 and concluded she had never been subjected to the procedure.
  • A new State-commissioned report broadly agreed with the expert's conclusions.
Other details
The Court of Appeal said newly discovered facts from expert reports show a miscarriage of justice; the article reporting this is dated 1 June 2026 but describes the 19 June 2026 ruling.
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe couple's convictions for FGM of their one-year-old daughter were quashed after they spent two years in prison. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe act was alleged to have been carried out at a Dublin address. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe alleged FGM took place on 16 September 2016. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationA Swedish FGM expert examined the child in December 2023 and concluded she had never been subjected to the procedure. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe couple were charged with carrying out an act of FGM on their daughter. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtA Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found the couple guilty in November 2019. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal overturned the convictions in 2021, finding the trial unfair. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtA jury at a retrial in 2023 failed to reach an agreement. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe DPP subsequently dropped the charges. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtA new State-commissioned report broadly agreed with the expert's conclusions, and the DPP dropped the charges after it. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal said newly discovered facts from expert reports show a miscarriage of justice. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe Court of Appeal found on the balance of probabilities that the applicants are factually innocent and granted a certificate under section 9(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherBoth parents pleaded not guilty. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 1 Jun2026
    Otherthejournal.ie, first report
    Couple’s convictions for female genital mutilation of child declared miscarriage of justice

    The article reports the Court of Appeal's 19 June 2026 ruling that the couple's quashed FGM convictions were a miscarriage of justice, after expert reports disclosed new facts. It adds the 2019 conviction, the 2021 appeal, the 2023 retrial and the DPP dropping the charges.

    convicted, maleconvicted, female