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A DOCTOR who carried out female circumcision on a young mum in an NHS hospital yesterday became the first person to stand trial for the op in Britain. Dr Dhanuson Dharmasena, 32, did the procedure after the woman gave birth, a court was told. The victim originally had the op in Somalia when she was six. It was reversed at Kingston Hospital in South West London, because she had problems during sex. Dharmasena did the mutilation again after she had a baby at Whittington Hospital, North London, in 2012, a court heard. FGM is not allowed under hospital policy and has been illegal in the UK
By SAM CHRISTIE
since 1985. In 2003 the maximum sentence was raised from five years to 14 years in jail. Prosecutor Kate Bex said: “That policy is written and is available to all midwives, nurses, obstetricians and students at the Whittington and Dr Dharmasena was expected to be aware of it.” Hasan Mohamed, 41, is accused of encouraging him to commit the offence. He denies the charge. Dharmasena, 32, of Ilford, East London, also denies carrying out FGM. Mohamed, of Highbury, North London, denies encouraging the procedure. The trial continues.
Price rise is cumin CURRY prices could soar due to a shortage of cumin, the spice vital for Britain’s favourite dishes. The crop is set to drop by up to 50 per cent after soaring heat delayed India’s growing season. Cumin prices rose 11 per cent last month in anticipation of a poor March harvest. Supplier Richard Oke said: “It will likely impact prices throughout in the coming months.”
HAPPY CHAPATTIS
Yellow curry spice curcumin could help erase bad memories, says a New York uni study.
1GM
MUM OF ‘ONE-BOY CRIME
WAVE’ REVEALS HER AGONY HARASSMENT WITHOUT VIOLENCE: Throwing stones THEFT: £20 from his mum
EXCLUSIVE by SHARON HENDRY
THE mum of the boy dubbed “the baddest lad in Britain” has told of her shame at his behaviour, and admitted: “I wish I had done things differently.” Tormented Jane blames herself for her 11-year-old son’s one-boy crime wave — and says she desperately needs help to control him.
David — not his real name — racked up seven convictions for arson, threatening behaviour, criminal damage, harassment and theft in just two months last autumn. Last week he was convicted again on two charges of threatening behaviour, and given a three-month referral order. And his hell-raising reputation was made public when police said they suspect he is responsible for a fifth of all crimes in Shepton Mallet, Somerset — and has committed so many offences they have been forced to record a 40 per cent increase in crime. Mum Jane, whose identity is being protected by The Sun, said: “I don’t feel ashamed of him but I do feel ashamed of his behaviour. I know he does too because he is often very sad after an angry outburst. “There are things I look back on now and wish I had done differently. I’m sure every parent feels the same to some degree. But in my case, the things I got wrong have led to extreme behaviour. I should have been firmer, stronger from the start. “He is my son and I will always love him, but I wish his behaviour was different. “I’ve tried everything from parenting classes to social services advice. He needs the help of a specialist school. I can’t do it on my own.” Jane, who has qualifications in childcare, traces the problem back to her romance with David’s father. He had migrated to Shepton Mallet from abroad — but he abandoned Jane and returned home after she fell pregnant. Jane said: “In my 20s I was involved in a very violent relationship so I was cautious about meeting someone new, but David’s dad seemed exotic when I first met him. He worked near my flat and was really charming and persistent. “We started dating and eventually got engaged. I found out I was pregnant and we got married. He seemed really familyorientated and I was excited about the future.” But Jane’s husband changed abruptly after marriage. She said: “He became very possessive and tried to control me. “Then when I was seven months pregnant, he told me he didn’t love me any more and was returning to his country. I was heartbroken and scared. My world had fallen apart.” Jane subsequently discovered her “husband” was already married with a family in his home town but had been seeking British citizenship. Despite their marriage, she refused to sign the necessary documents and he was denied a passport. She added: “My mum was at David’s birth but it was a difficult time. I could no longer afford to live in our flat and was forced to move into a homeless hostel with David before getting a council house. “But despite everything, I loved David so much. I felt very protective and vowed to give him everything. I felt like it was us against the world.” Jane held down several jobs while juggling childcare. She said: “I couldn’t bear the shame of claiming benefits so I was holding down two jobs. I worked loads of different places — anything I could get.” She describes David as a loving but hyperactive toddler, prone to
Tuesday, January 20, 2015 ...............
ON HOME LIFE
I should have said No more often
ON SCHOOLS
He started hanging out with wrong crowd
angry outbursts. She said: “He began to develop a temper if he couldn’t get his own way and I am guilty of giving in to him. “He didn’t have a father so I tried to compensate by doing and giving him everything. “He had nice clothes and toys and I saved up for holidays at Butlins. But he started wanting bigger and better things — an electric guitar, mobile phones, games consoles. He would shout and make a fuss and I
‘I blame myself for not having courage to say NO to my little hellraiser’ gave in because of the stares I got.” Signs of more worrying behaviour emerged when David started at primary school. Jane said: “Teachers called me in and said he was attention-seeking by pulling his trousers down and by the time he reached junior school he was excluded for the first time.” David’s anger had led to him swearing at a teacher and running out of class. Support was brought in but his behaviour got worse. Jane said: “The more he felt excluded the more angry he became. One day he threw a chair
across the classroom.” A start at mainstream secondary school ended in disaster and a permanent exclusion. Jane said: “He started smoking and hanging out with the wrong crowd. His anger problems returned and he was sent home.” David then allegedly exposed himself to customers in a Costa Coffee shop — an act which led to his most recent criminal charge Inside the family’s neat council house hang several pictures of David smiling happily in his school uniform. But there are also signs of
his dark temper — a door with large holes punched in by his scooter and a cabinet smashed up by his fist. David’s current routine involves getting up late and spending his days watching TV, playing computer games and hanging out with friends. Jane said: “He still has very angry outbursts. This morning he threw a drink across the lounge walls. “He is still angry and bored. Sometimes he cries and tells me he wishes he could control his anger. He says he doesn’t know why he does the things he does.” Jane
TWO COUNTS OF CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY: Smashing his mum’s mobile phone and damaging a car park
HIS RAP SHEET
FIRST NHS DOC IN COURT OVER FGM
1GM
USINGTHREATENING & ABUSIVE WORDS ARSON: Setting fire to floor boards EXPOSING HIMSELF IN A LOCAL COSTA COFFEE SHOP
ON BEHAVIOUR
I do feel ashamed ...he does too
ON SCHOOLS
I need help. I can’t do it on my own Loving mum . . . but Jane says she wishes she had been much stricter with tearaway David
admits she has lost control of her son. She says her new partner has tried to be a stepfather to David but does not know how to help. Jane said: “He would like to get married but I’m finding it hard to get divorced from my husband because I’ve got no idea where he is.” David is currently on the waiting list for a place at another school. Meanwhile, Jane can only reflect on what has gone wrong. She said: “Like every parent, I’ve made mistakes, probably a few more than most — but David has
been really loved. If anything he has been loved too much to make up for not having a father. “He has gone through periods of desperately wanting to know his father. Sometimes he says: ‘Can I go and find him?’ “I don’t know what the answer is. Looking back, I wish I’d asked for help earlier and I wish I’d been stronger and not so soft. “I know I should have given my son firmer boundaries and said ‘no’ more often. It would have been kinder.” sharon.hendry@the-sun.co.uk
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