Man charged with genital mutilation of a woman

Strike Force detectives have charged an alleged body modifier over the genital mutilation of a woman in Newcastle.

Officers from the Brisbane Water and Tuggerah Lakes Police Districts formed Strike Force Nellievale, a joint investigation following a formal
complaint by the woman, who allegedly engaged the modifier to perform a procedure at a business in Newcastle West in 2016.

At around 8am on May 1 officers travelled to a home at Terrigal and arrested the 37-year-old tattooist/body modifier.

The man, who is not a qualified medical practitioner, was taken to the Gosford Police Station, where he was charged with the offence: Prohibition of female genital mutilation.

Detectives on the morning of May 8 also executed a search warrant at a tattoo/body piercing studio at Erina.

The man has been granted strict conditional bail and has been issued with a Court Attendance Notice to face Gosford Local Court on May
15.

Source: Media release, May 1 NSW Police Media