Rabbi accused of flying to Ireland to perform illegal circumcision on young boy refused bail

Gardaí found accused in Dublin house where very young child was naked on a changing pad and established a circumcision had already been carried out on another boy, court heard

Accused was arrested and charged at Blanchardstown Garda Station, court told

A London-based rabbi accused of travelling to Ireland to perform an illegal circumcision on a young child has been refused bail.

Jonathan Abraham, 47, was arrested in Dublin on Tuesday and is charged with carrying out a surgical procedure — male circumcision on a child — without being a registered medical practitioner, at an address in Dublin 15.

The father of 10 appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Dublin District Court on Thursday.

Detective Garda Megan Furey told the judge Mr Abraham "made no reply" when charged at Blanchardstown Garda Station.

There were objections to bail due to the seriousness of the case.

The detective said the offence, contrary to the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, could result in a maximum fine of €130,000 and five years' imprisonment.

Detective Garda Furey said there was strong evidence in support of the charge. Gardaí entered an address in Dublin 15 just after 1pm on Tuesday with the homeowners' consent.

According to the detective, they observed the accused "dressed in a white robe, a doctor-style coat, with blue gloves and a scalpel in his hand".

The court heard there was a table in the middle of the room with a changing pad, scissors and other medical supplies and implements.

"Gardaí at this time also observed a very young child on the changing pad naked," she said, adding they established a circumcision procedure had already been carried out on another child at the premises.

The detective told the court a file was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and "it's envisaged that there will be multiple further charges in due course".

'Significant flight risk'

Citing "significant flight risk" fears, she said the accused flew into Ireland on July 30 about noon and had a return flight booked for the same evening. 

She added he had no ties to this jurisdiction and did not have any property, assets, or dependents in this country.

She described him as a man of means and had grave concerns he would evade justice.

Cross-examined by defence solicitor Tertius Van Eeden, the detective agreed the accused had not held himself out to be a doctor, and she accepted he was a rabbi.

The solicitor said his client was a member of the Initiation Society, which governs the practice or procedures of the Jewish faith, specifically circumcisions.

Mr Van Eeden added his client, who did not address the court, was registered as a mohel, the Hebrew word for a person qualified to carry out circumcisions.

Pleading for bail, Mr Van Eeden said the Initiation Society was the oldest Anglo-Jewish organisation, founded in 1745. As a mohel, he was allowed to perform circumcisions and had done so for more than 13 years, and he was fully trained medically and ethically to perform them.

The solicitor submitted in the Jewish community, only a mohel could perform such procedures, and he was insured to do them. 

Mr Van Eeden submitted if his client had performed the same procedures in England, it would have been completely legal.

However, the judge pointed out that was a separate jurisdiction.

Judge Connellan refused bail due to the seriousness of the case, potential flight risk and strength of evidence. Legal aid was granted to the accused, who was remanded in custody pending directions from the DPP. 

Mr Abraham has yet to enter a plea and will appear again on August 6 at Cloverhill District Court.