Two men will face the first female gender mutilation trial in Britain in January, a judge ruled today.
Dr Dhanuson Dharmasena, 31 of the Whittington hospital, pleaded not guilty to carrying out the procedure on a woman after she had given birth in November 2012.
A second man also pleaded not guilty and to a second count of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of the offence on the same day.
These are the first charges brought under the Female Genital Mutilation Act (2003) in a landmark case.
The pleas were entered at the Old Bailey but the trial will take place on January 13, 2015 at Southwark Crown Court.
Mr Justice Sweeney imposed reporting restrictions which bans the name of the second defendant and the alleged victim. Both men were released on unconditional bail.
