Doctor accidentally cut off boy's penis during circumcision procedure

Defence lawyer claims the child moved so his dad could take a photograph

File photo shows a boy screaming during a circumcision at an Algerian hospital (Getty Images)

A doctor who allegedly cut off a boys penis during his circumcision, has been accused of causing serious body harm by negligence.

Swiss prosecutor Judith Levy Owczarczak accused the medic of trying to cover up the 2014 incident, which took place at his surgery.

Instead of sending the four-year-old boy straight to hospital, she said he spent four hours “running around Geneva trying to find a catheter” according to La Tribune de Genève newspaper.

But defence, lawyer Charles Joye said the 50-year-old Italian national with more than 2,500 circumcisions to his name, had immediately told the family to take the boy to Geneva University Hospital.

The incident occurred when the boy's family, who are of Algerian descent, began taking pictures of the procedure, which is common in his culture, Mr Joye said.

As the doctor prepared to slice the boy’s foreskin, he moved for the photograph, causing the doctor to slice off his penis, he said . He then tried to reattach the penis but did not have a proper catheter.

Mr Joye said the family taking photos caused the “unforeseeable act” and it was not the doctor’s fault.

The boy’s penis has now been reattached but he had undergo four operations and spend a month in hospital.

"The shape of his penis is satisfactory even if it is a bit dented, but there is a loss of substance in the glands," another doctor told the court, adding that the boy may need another operation when he turns 18.