The Guardian
Father went to court after mother of the boys, aged four and six, objected to the procedure at a young age
Mrs Justice Roberts said no one involved could be identified. Photograph: David Wilcock/PA Archive/Press Association Images
A devout Muslim has failed to persuade a high court judge to rule that his sons should be circumcised.
The man, who was born in Algeria but lives in England, argued that circumcision would be in accordance with his “Muslim practice and religious beliefs” – and in the youngsters’ best interests. But the boys’ mother, who grew up in Devon and is separated from their father, disagreed.
Mrs Justice Roberts refused to make a circumcision order after analysing arguments made at a family court hearing in Exeter, Devon. She said it was better to defer a decision until the boys, aged six and four, reached a stage where they could make “individual choices”.
The details of the case emerged on Monday in a ruling by Roberts. The judge said no one involved could be identified, but she said the man and woman were both in their mid-30s.
She said the man had been living in England for 15 years. He had argued that it would be “in the children’s best interests to allow them to be circumcised” in accordance with his “Muslim practice and religious beliefs”, Roberts said in her ruling.
The man’s former partner “opposes that course until such time as the children have reached an age where they are competent to give consent to such a procedure”, the judge added.
