Sunday 1 November 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. 0776Female genital mutilation · Co. Dublin · 16 Sep 2016

Female genital mutilation convictions declared a miscarriage of justice in Dublin

A couple, originally from a French-speaking region of Africa, were convicted in November 2019 of carrying out an act of female genital mutilation on their one-year-old daughter at a Dublin address on 16 September 2016, becoming the first people convicted of the charge in Ireland. They spent two years in prison before the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions in 2021, finding the trial unfair. A retrial in 2023 ended in a hung jury and the DPP dropped the charges after a Swedish FGM expert and a State-commissioned report concluded the child had never been subjected to the procedure. On 19 June 2026, the Court of Appeal declared the convictions a miscarriage of justice and found the couple factually innocent on the balance of probabilities.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Acquitted19 Jun
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A couple were charged with carrying out an act of female genital mutilation on their one-year-old daughter.
Where
The alleged FGM took place at a Dublin address.
When
The alleged FGM took place on 16 September 2016.
Investigation
A Swedish FGM expert, Prof Birgitta Essen, examined the child in December 2023 and concluded she had never been subjected to the procedure, a finding broadly supported by a State-commissioned report.
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 retrial jury in 2023 failed to reach an agreement and the DPP dropped the charges.
  • On 19 June 2026, the Court of Appeal declared the convictions a miscarriage of justice and found the couple factually innocent on the balance of probabilities.
Sentence
The Court of Appeal granted a certificate under S9(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993.
Other details
  • The couple spent two years in prison.
  • The couple were the first people convicted of the FGM charge in the history of the State.
  • The couple are non-Irish and originally from a French-speaking region of Africa.
35 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)
  • whatA couple were convicted of female genital mutilation of their one-year-old daughter. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe act was alleged to have been carried out at a Dublin address. (thejournal.ie, rte.ie)
  • whenThe alleged FGM took place on 16 September 2016. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe alleged FGM took place at a Dublin address on 16 September 2016. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe act was alleged to have taken place on 16 September 2016. (rte.ie)
  • investigationA Swedish FGM expert examined the child in December 2023 and concluded she had never been subjected to the procedure. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationAn examination by Swedish FGM expert Prof Birgitta Essen in December 2023 proved the child had never been subjected to the procedure. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAn expert examination of the child in December 2023 was said to show she had never been subjected to the procedure. (rte.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, rte.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)
  • courtThe couple's FGM convictions were quashed and declared a miscarriage of justice by the Court of Appeal. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Patrick McCarthy found newly discovered facts in expert reports showed a miscarriage of justice. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe court found the applicants factually innocent on the balance of probabilities. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA certificate was granted under S9(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found them guilty in November 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth the husband and wife had pleaded not guilty. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA jury at the 2023 retrial failed to reach an agreement and the DPP dropped the charges. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal quashed the convictions in 2021, finding the trial unfair. (rte.ie)
  • courtA retrial jury in 2023 failed to reach an agreement and the DPP subsequently dropped the charges. (rte.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Patrick McCarthy found on the balance of probabilities that the applicants are factually innocent. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal granted a certificate under S9(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. (rte.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)
  • otherThe couple spent two years in prison. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherTheir trial was the first FGM trial in Ireland and was the subject of an RTÉ documentary. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe couple were the first people convicted of the FGM charge in the history of the State. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe couple are originally from a French-speaking region of Africa. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe couple pleaded not guilty. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe couple were the first people convicted of this charge in the history of the State. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 Jun2026
    Otherrte.ie, its first report
    Couple's FGM convictions declared miscarriage of justice

    Court of Appeal ruling, reported 19 June 2026, that the couple are factually innocent and that their 2019 convictions were a miscarriage of justice. No matching existing case.

    convicted, male, non-irish (judged from name)convicted, female, non-irish (judged from name)victim, 1, female
  2. 19 Jun2026
    Acquittedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Couple jailed over female genital mutilation of girl have convictions quashed

    The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, granted a certificate under S9(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993 declaring the couple factually innocent, based on a 2023 examination by Swedish FGM expert Prof Birgitta Essen and a State-commissioned report that broadly agreed with her findings.

    convicted, male, non-irish (judged from name)convicted, female, non-irish (judged from name)victim, 1, female
  3. 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