Dublin man found guilty of attempted murder after stabbing three children in Parnell Square

Riad Bouchaker has been convicted of attempting to kill three young children during a knife attack on Parnell Square in Dublin in 2023.

Dublin man found guilty of attempted murder after stabbing three children in Parnell Square

Riad Bouchaker has been convicted of attempting to murder three young children during a knife attack on Parnell Square East in Dublin.

The assault took place in 2023. A five-year-old girl, a young boy, and another child were among those targeted. A crèche worker who intervened sustained serious injuries, including a punctured lung and a severed spleen.

During the trial, eyewitnesses described how Bouchaker pulled a blade from a bag strapped to his chest and began attacking a group of children. Leanne Flynn, who was caring for the children, ran toward him and tried to stop him. She was stabbed in the back and thrown aside.

Several members of the public then rushed to help. Warren Donohue punched the attacker. Caio Benicio, who had been riding a motorcycle nearby, struck him with his helmet. Alan Loren-Guille, a 17-year-old who had recently arrived in Dublin, grabbed the assailant's hand and forced him to drop the weapon. Siobhan Kearney jumped on his back and kicked the blade away. She later formed a protective ring around him to stop further violence from the crowd.

Emergency responders arrived quickly. An ambulance crew and several doctors from the nearby Rotunda Hospital provided urgent care. The five-year-old girl had no pulse and was not breathing. Medical staff performed CPR and arranged an immediate transfer for surgery. Blood was ordered and transfused during the journey.

Bouchaker is expected to be sentenced later this year.

Source: The Journal

Source: TheJournal.ie