Man Accused of Parnell Square Attacks Claims «I Did Not Want to Kill»
Riad Bouchaker, 52, on trial for attempted murder of three children in Dublin, told gardaí he «did not want to kill» and that his actions were a mistake. He denies all charges, claiming he was sick and not in his right mind. The prosecution contends his actions showed intent to kill, with one child suffering severe brain injuries.
Riad Bouchaker, 52, charged with attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square in Dublin, told gardaí in a December 20, 2023 interview that he «did not want to kill» and that «what happened was a mistake.» He stated, «I don’t know, I did something, I don’t know what I did, I found myself with blood.»
Bouchaker, an Algerian national of no fixed abode, denies attempting to murder two girls and a boy on November 23, 2023. He also denies assaulting two other children, a passerby, and childcare worker Leanne Flynn, and producing a 36cm kitchen knife. The prosecution argues his actions showed intent to kill, noting a five-year-old girl suffered severe brain injuries and is now non-verbal and uses a wheelchair.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court heard Bouchaker claimed he was sick, not in his right mind, and had no intention to kill, attributing his anger to being refused a social welfare payment. He had a head operation in 2021, sustained a head injury during the incident, and now has an acquired brain injury. Judge Tony Hunt found him fit to plead before the trial.