A woman from the UK is on trial for allegedly assisting in the genital mutilation of a three-year-old girl during a trip to Kenya 17 years ago. Female genital mutilation is illegal in the UK and many other countries, and it is also a criminal offence for UK nationals or residents to perform or aid in performing the procedure abroad. The defendant denies the charge of assisting in the mutilation. The practice, which involves the partial or total removal of a girl's clitoris and labia, is common in some African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries and can lead to severe complications. The maximum penalty for the offence is 14 years in prison.
