A London man is to be charged with inflicting female genital mutilation in a landmark prosecution.

The 49-year-old from south London is alleged to have carried out the crime on a young girl between 2010 and 2013. If the new prosecution is successful it will be the first British conviction for FGM.

The man will appear at Woolwich crown court tomorrow charged with two offences alleging that he “excised, infibulated or otherwise mutilated the whole or part of the labia minora” of the girl.

He is also charged with alternative offences of wounding the child, and three separate counts of child cruelty.

It is only the second female genital mutilation prosecution in the UK since the practice was made illegal in 1985. The first, against a London doctor and another man, ended with not-guilty verdicts.

The man in the new prosecution cannot be named for legal reasons but is understood to come from Africa.

The Crown Prosecution Service said today: “Following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service the CPS can confirm we have authorised proceedings against a 49-year-old man for two counts contrary to section 1 Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, and two alternative counts of wounding with intent contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

“The offences are alleged to have taken place between five and seven years ago. The man also faces three counts of child cruelty, contrary to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.”

Legislation banning FGM in Britain was first passed in 1985. The law has been strengthened since to prohibit the mutilation overseas of girls from this country. Despite this, and the efforts of campaigners such as Londoner Nimco Ali, it has so far proved difficult for police and prosecutors to find sufficient evidence to charge alleged perpetrators.

NHS statistics show that thousands of women and girls in London have suffered FGM, which can lead to lifelong physical and psychological damage, although many are thought to have suffered mutilation many years ago and to have had the procedure overseas.

This month Ms Ali told the Standard she believes eradicating FGM completely is now possible by 2030.

The all-party parliamentary group to combat FGM was relaunched in October, co-chaired by Labour’s Jess Phillips and Tory MP Zac Goldsmith.