DistantNews
Support us
Bloodstained jacket of childcare worker stabbed at Parnell Square shown to jury
🇮🇪 Ireland /Crime & Justice

Bloodstained jacket of childcare worker stabbed at Parnell Square shown to jury

From Irish Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A bloodstained jacket worn by a childcare worker injured in a Parnell Square incident was shown to a jury in Dublin.
  • Jackets worn by two children also injured in the November 23, 2023, incident were presented as evidence.
  • The accused, Riad Bouchaker, denies eight charges, including attempted murder of three children and assault.

The Central Criminal Court jury in Dublin has been shown a bloodstained jacket belonging to a childcare worker who sustained stab wounds during an incident at Parnell Square. The court also viewed jackets worn by two children who were injured in the same event on November 23, 2023.

stabbing and jabbing

— Karl FinneganProsecution counsel Karl Finnegan described the alleged actions of the accused during the incident at Parnell Square.

Garda Niall Ormsby, a crime scene examiner, testified that one of the children's jackets displayed some bloodstaining. The trial involves Riad Bouchaker, 52, who denies eight charges related to the incident. These charges include attempting to murder three children, assaulting two other children and a bystander, and assaulting the care worker.

targeting

— Karl FinneganProsecution counsel Karl Finnegan described the alleged actions of the accused during the incident at Parnell Square.

Bouchaker, an Algerian national with no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The prosecution alleges that Bouchaker's actions, including "stabbing and jabbing" with a knife, specifically targeting young children, and the intervention of the public, demonstrate an intent to kill. One five-year-old girl suffered life-threatening injuries, requiring surgery, and is now non-verbal and uses a wheelchair.

One child, a five-year-old girl, suffered life-threatening injuries requiring surgery and is now non-verbal and using a wheelchair

— ProsecutionThe prosecution informed the jury about the severe injuries sustained by one of the young victims.

During police interviews, Bouchaker reportedly stated he knew he had done wrong but claimed he was sick and not in his right mind, denying any intention to kill. He mentioned being angry about being refused a social welfare payment that day and carrying a knife. The jury heard that Bouchaker had a head operation in 2021 and sustained a head injury during the Parnell Square incident, resulting in an acquired brain injury. Despite this, he was found fit to plead, and special mental health defenses are not available to him.

he knew he had done something wrong but was sick and not in his right mind at the time and had no intention to kill anyone

— Riad BouchakerBouchaker told gardaí during interviews that he was unwell and not in his right mind during the incident.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Irish Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog