The Family Court has for the first time intervened to prevent a father from taking his nine-year-old daughter back to Africa to have her circumcised.

Family Court judge Paul Cronin ordered the man, who is an Australian citizen of African descent, to surrender his passport and that of his daughter.

Judge Cronin said the father “wishes to return to Africa for the purposes of female circumcision”.

The judge said he would prevent the father from leaving Australia “just in case the purpose that I have mentioned is in fact what he has in mind”.

Australian Court bars father from taking daughter for female circumcision