A Rabbi, based in London, is facing allegations of conducting an illegal circumcision on a child in Ireland, and has been denied bail. Jonathan Abraham, 47, was placed under arrest earlier this week and was subsequently brought before Judge Michael Connellan at the Dublin District Court on Thursday. He stands accused of executing a surgical procedure, namely circumcision, on a minor at a residence located in Dublin 15, despite not being an officially registered medical practitioner.
As Detective Garda Megan Furey informed the court, Mr. Abraham offered no response when charged at the Blanchardstown Garda station, and objections were raised against his bail due to the gravity of the alleged crime. The detective also highlighted the potential penalties for the offence, as under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, this could include a maximum penalty of €130,000 and up to five years of imprisonment.
Detective Garda Furey narrated how the authorities entered the specified Dublin 15 residence around 1pm on Tuesday with the property owners’ permission. They found the accused garbed in a white robe, akin to doctor’s attire, complete with blue gloves and a scalpel. A table bearing a changing pad, scissors, and other medical paraphernalia stood in the room. Furthermore, she reported that the officers saw a very young child on the changing pad, unclothed. They later discovered that the accused had already performed a circumcision on another child.
The detective notified the court about a case file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and anticipated additional charges to be laid. Citing significant risks around potential flight due to Mr. Abraham having no local ties and being financially capable, she conveyed fears of him fleeing the jurisdiction.
During a cross-examination by defence solicitor Tertius Van Eeden, whilst he agreed lesser penalties would be incurred if the DPP decided the case should remain in the District Court, the solicitor criticised the prosecution’s optimistic assumption of the case advancing to a higher court, an assertion which Detective Garda Fuery disputed.
The investigator affirmed that Mr Abraham never claimed to be a doctor and acknowledged him as a Rabbi. The lawyer pointed out that Mr Abraham is a part of the Initiation Society, which presides over exercise or customs of the Jewish religion, specifically circumcisions. His advocate, Mr Van Eeden, noted that his client is a certified mohel, a Hebrew term for an individual able to carry out circumcisions, a fact already known to the detective and under investigation.
Mr Van Eeden justified that his client is professionally trained to execute circumcisions and has been doing so for over 13 years, insured for the same. If Mr Abraham had carried out similar tasks in England, they would have been perfectly lawful, so argued Mr Van Eeden. However, the judge emphasized that Ireland operates under a different legal framework.
Judge Connellan denied the bail request and ordered Mr Abraham to be held in custody, awaiting instructions from the DPP. The subsequent hearing is scheduled for August 6th, at Cloverhill District Court.