A midwife who caused a four-week-old baby to bleed to death in a botched home circumcision operation walked free from court yesterday.
Grace Adeleye, 67, carried out the procedure on Goodluck Caubergs without anaesthetic, using only a pair of scissors, forceps and olive oil.
The nurse, originally from Nigeria, had been paid £100 to perform the operation at the home in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, using a traditional African method known as ‘clamp and cut’.
But it went drastically wrong leaving the child with a serious wound and causing him to bleed to death despite the efforts of doctors at Royal Oldham hospital to save him.
Adeleye was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence after a trial at Manchester Crown Court and was given a 21 month suspended jail term yesterday.
Justice Keith Lindblom said the boy’s death had been ‘wholly unneccesary’.
‘It was a tragedy, he was a perfectly healthy baby, he was not ill he had no need of medical care and he would not have died if you had acted with their care expected of you as a nurse,’ he said.
‘No sentence would bring him back or ease the grief his family must ensure, the pain of losing him will stay with them what the rest of their lives.
‘His mother said it was a tragic accident but says she can’t find it in herself to wish you any ill feeling or that you be sent to prison. I accept that you showed genuine remorse for his death.’
The court heard how Adeleye had set herself up as a mobile circumcision ‘clinic’ for Christian parents – many who had no idea the simple procedure is available on the NHS.