Man accused of Parnell Square attack 'upset' over social welfare refusal

Riad Bouchaker, 52, accused of the November 2023 attack on children at Parnell Square in Dublin, told gardaí he was not in his right mind on the day of the incident. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and four counts of assault.

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The children did nothing to deserve what had happened to them but that I was not in my right mind.

During a police interview on December 20, 2023, Bouchaker stated that a decision to refuse him social welfare benefits made him "go into blackout." He told gardaí he did not remember the events of November 23 but admitted to doing "something wrong." He described being upset because "they did not pay me" after applying for 14 years, feeling like "this country was telling me to leave."

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a decision to refuse me social welfare made me go into blackout.

Bouchaker claimed he had a "fish memory" and had already forgotten who the interviewing officers were. He said he found a brand new knife in his accommodation, which he intended to take home, and denied wanting to kill or harm the children. He described feeling "saturated" and told gardaí to do whatever they wanted, stating he had "no conscience to go and hurt anybody."

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it sounded like this country was telling me to leave.

He also mentioned being an Irish national and that his brother had expressed concern about his behavior. Bouchaker said he had been alone for 19 years and had written to the social welfare department multiple times without success. He told gardaí, "please guys kill me," and expressed readiness for whatever the victims' families might decide.

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please guys kill me.