Excerpt:
A three-year-old girl needed emergency surgery after allegedly being subjected to female genital mutilation which left her severely wounded.
A London couple were appearing in court today accused of carrying out the procedure.
It is alleged the man, 42, and woman, 36, both understood to be of African heritage, mutilated the girl at their east London home.
The girl is understood to have been rushed to hospital soon after the incident. The couple are believed to have blamed the wounds on a household accident.
She underwent surgery immediately to stem the bleeding.