Prosecutors have ruled out charges over the alleged female genital mutilation of a baby from London after deciding that a police file on the case contains insufficient evidence to put before a court.
The case, which is the latest failed attempt to secure a first ever conviction in this country for carrying out FGM, involved a British child of Malaysian descent thought to have been taken abroad and subjected to “type 4” FGM when only a few months old.
The child’s family is understood to have believed that the procedure, which involves pricking the clitoris, was legal because it is common and lawful in Malaysia, and to have initially admitted the act during a routine medical consultation.
A police investigation was carried out and a file sent to the Crown Prosecution Service setting out details of a potential crime under British legislation.
