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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| FGM: Woman feared curse if she refused to hand girl over, jury told | FGM: Woman feared curse if she refused to hand girl over, jury told |
| (25 days later) | |
| The trial is taking place at the Old Bailey | The trial is taking place at the Old Bailey |
| A woman feared being "cursed" if she failed to hand over a three-year-old British girl for female genital mutilation (FGM), a court has heard. | A woman feared being "cursed" if she failed to hand over a three-year-old British girl for female genital mutilation (FGM), a court has heard. |
| Amina Noor, 39, is on trial at the Old Bailey charged with assisting a non-UK person to mutilate the girl overseas, 17 years ago. | Amina Noor, 39, is on trial at the Old Bailey charged with assisting a non-UK person to mutilate the girl overseas, 17 years ago. |
| Jurors have heard the girl was subjected to FGM on a trip to Kenya in 2006. | Jurors have heard the girl was subjected to FGM on a trip to Kenya in 2006. |
| Ms Noor, from Harrow, north-west London, denies the charges. | Ms Noor, from Harrow, north-west London, denies the charges. |
| Giving evidence, Ms Noor said she would have been "disowned and cursed" by community members if she did not take part. | Giving evidence, Ms Noor said she would have been "disowned and cursed" by community members if she did not take part. |
| The alleged offence only came to light in 2018 after the girl confided in her English teacher at school when she was aged 16. | The alleged offence only came to light in 2018 after the girl confided in her English teacher at school when she was aged 16. |
| 'I had no power' | 'I had no power' |
| When Noor was interviewed by police, she denied that anyone had made threats against her to force her to agree to assisting FGM. | When Noor was interviewed by police, she denied that anyone had made threats against her to force her to agree to assisting FGM. |
| But in her defence in her trial, Noor said she had been told she would be disowned. | But in her defence in her trial, Noor said she had been told she would be disowned. |
| She said: "I didn't know whether this was going to be something that is harming [the girl] but I did not want to allow it whatever it might be. | She said: "I didn't know whether this was going to be something that is harming [the girl] but I did not want to allow it whatever it might be. |
| "I was told I would be cursed if I refuse." | "I was told I would be cursed if I refuse." |
| She told jurors she "felt pain" over the threat, saying: "That was a pressure I had no power to do anything about." | She told jurors she "felt pain" over the threat, saying: "That was a pressure I had no power to do anything about." |
| The defendant suggested that her words about being disowned and cursed were not relayed by the interpreter, although jurors were told translations of the interviews were agreed. | The defendant suggested that her words about being disowned and cursed were not relayed by the interpreter, although jurors were told translations of the interviews were agreed. |
| FGM: British girl, 3, mutilated on Kenya trip, Old Bailey hears | FGM: British girl, 3, mutilated on Kenya trip, Old Bailey hears |
| Jurors have heard the defendant was born in Somalia and moved to Kenya at the age of eight during the civil war in her home country. | Jurors have heard the defendant was born in Somalia and moved to Kenya at the age of eight during the civil war in her home country. |
| She was 16 when she came to the United Kingdom and was later granted British citizenship. | She was 16 when she came to the United Kingdom and was later granted British citizenship. |
| The court was told that 94% of females of Somali origin living in Kenya undergo FGM, according to United Nations figures. | The court was told that 94% of females of Somali origin living in Kenya undergo FGM, according to United Nations figures. |
| There was no dispute in the case that the girl had been subjected to FGM outside the UK by a Kenyan woman, nor that the alleged victim was a UK citizen. | There was no dispute in the case that the girl had been subjected to FGM outside the UK by a Kenyan woman, nor that the alleged victim was a UK citizen. |
| The girl, who is now aged 21, cannot be identified for legal reasons. | The girl, who is now aged 21, cannot be identified for legal reasons. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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