Riad Bouchaker, 52, has been found guilty of attempting to murder three children during a knife attack on a Dublin street in 2023. The verdict was delivered at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, where Bouchaker communicated with an interpreter and a speech and language support worker.
Details of the Attack
The stabbing occurred on a Dublin street, targeting a group of small children. A then five-year-old girl suffered a stab wound to the heart and has since been left non-verbal, wheelchair-bound, and unable to swallow safely. Bouchaker was also convicted of the attempted murder of a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl.
He was further found guilty of intentionally or recklessly inflicting serious harm upon care worker Leanne Flynn, who was stabbed while shielding the children. Additional convictions include assault causing harm to another boy and girl, and to a French teenager who intervened. Bouchaker used a 36cm kitchen knife in the attack and denied all eight charges.
Aftermath and Riots
The attack sparked widespread rioting across Dublin, with vehicles torched, shops ransacked, and public infrastructure damaged. The unrest erupted on the evening of the assault after a mob gathered near the crime scene, sending shockwaves around the world.
