A shocking verdict has been delivered in the Central Criminal Court, where 52-year-old Riad Bouchaker was found guilty of attempted murder and assault on multiple victims in a devastating attack on Parnell Square in Dublin last November. The jury's unanimous decision, reached after just six hours of deliberation, brings some semblance of closure to the community still reeling from the aftermath of that fateful day.
The court heard harrowing evidence, including testimony that a five-year-old girl suffered a life-altering brain injury when she was stabbed in the heart during the attack. Bouchaker, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, was convicted on all eight counts, including the attempted murder of three children and assault causing serious harm to crèche worker Leanne Flynn.
Judge Tony Hunt commended the jury for their meticulous work, acknowledging the distressing nature of the evidence presented. In delivering the verdicts, he stated that they were "entirely in line with the evidence heard". Bouchaker listened through an interpreter as the guilty verdict was read out.
The attack on 23 November 2023 had far-reaching consequences for Dublin, sparking some of the most intense riots seen in Irish history. Widespread unrest led to significant destruction, with 11 police vehicles destroyed, 13 shops badly damaged, and further looting during clashes with riot police. Three buses and a tram were also targeted, while several officers sustained injuries during the three hours of sustained violence.
Then-police chief Drew Harris attributed the rioting to a "lunatic, hooligan faction driven by a far-right ideology". The scale of the public disorder necessitated the deployment of the largest number of riot police ever seen in the Republic of Ireland.