Baby boy ‘very lucky to be alive following crude circumcision’
Man appears in court over ‘surgery at home’
Medics had to ‘correct the bleed’
A MAN has appeared in court after a ten-monthold boy was left needing a blood transfusion following a ‘crude circumcision’.
Philip Ogbewe, 54, a father of six from Nigeria but living in Ireland for 20 years, allegedly used a surgical blade on the infant who had to be hospitalised for two weeks afterwards.
Mr Ogbewe has allegedly described himself as Dr Philip, a ‘third generation circumciser’, but has no medical training, the court was told.
He was refused bail after appearing before Judge John Coughlan at Dublin District Court yesterday. He was charged with assault causing harm to the baby boy in a midlands town on a date in December 2015.
Garda Sergeant Paul Carney said he arrested Mr Ogbewe in Drogheda at 4.10pm on Thursday and took him to a Garda station in the midlands to be charged.
After he was cautioned, he replied, ‘I am sorry I committed such an offence.’
Judge Coughlan was furnished with a list of objections to bail drafted by the investigating officer who cited the seriousness of the case.
Garda Sergeant Carney said the infant required surgical intervention at the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, and was later transferred to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
The baby needed a blood transfusion and medics had to ‘correct the bleed’.
Garda Sergeant Carney alleged the accused travelled to the injured party’s home and performed the circumcision with a surgical blade but he had no medical training. ‘The child in question is very lucky to be alive,’ he said and this was due to the intervention of staff at the hospital in Mullingar.
Also recovered during the investigation was a surgical blade, Vaseline, cotton wood, which were to be used for performing circumcisions, the court was told.
Mr Ogbewe’s phone was seized, It had the phone number used by the injured party’s mother to contact him before and after the circumcision, it is alleged.
Garda Sergeant Carney said the accused, who sat silently throughout the hearing, was aware of the location of the infant’s home.
The garda sergeant said technical analysis of his phone identified 21 other appointments for circumcisions in Dublin, Meath and Offaly.
The assault charge can carry a maximum sentence of five years but the court heard the DPP was considering further more serious charges.
Mr Ogbewe, with an address at Green Lanes, Drogheda, Co. Louth, was remanded in custody to reappear in court on November 23.