Riad Bouchaker, 52, of no fixed abode, has been found guilty of attempting to murder three children during a knife attack on a group of small children on a Dublin street in 2023. The verdict was delivered at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, where Bouchaker spoke to his interpreter and a speech and language support worker after the verdicts were read out.
Attack and Injuries
Bouchaker, an Algerian national who is an Irish citizen, was found guilty of the attempted murder of a then-five-year-old girl, who was stabbed in the heart during the attack. The girl is now non-verbal, uses a wheelchair, and cannot swallow safely. He was also found guilty of the attempted murder of a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl.
Additionally, Bouchaker was convicted of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to care worker Leanne Flynn, who was stabbed as she intervened to protect the children. He was also found guilty of assault causing harm to another boy and girl, as well as to a French teenager who intervened as he passed by. Bouchaker was further convicted of producing the 36cm kitchen knife used in the attack.
Rioting Aftermath
The stabbing triggered rioting in the Irish capital, with vehicles set on fire, shops looted, and infrastructure damaged. The disorder began the evening of the attack after a crowd gathered at the edge of the crime scene in Parnell Square East, making international headlines.
Bouchaker had denied all eight charges against him.
