No closure from Bouchaker verdict - injured girl's mother

The mother of a young girl who suffered a severe, life-long brain injury in the Parnell Square attack has stated that Riad Bouchaker's conviction for attempted murder has not provided closure, despite justice being served. Bouchaker was found guilty yesterday of the attempted murder of three children in Dublin in November 2023.

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I was asked if it brought some closure. The simple answer to that is NO.

In a statement on a fundraising page for her daughter, the mother described yesterday as "a good day" but clarified that "There will never be closure." She expressed relief that Bouchaker's actions would not be repeated, saying, "justice was served." However, she lamented that Bouchaker "stole" her daughter's natural life progression, leaving her to battle her condition daily.

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There will never be closure, but justice was served.

"This chapter is over. We have woken up today with a bit of solace," she wrote. The mother also explained her earlier statement about not feeling anger toward Bouchaker, clarifying that she experiences all emotions but actively chooses not to let negative ones consume her. She emphasized her focus on her daughter, son, and husband, urging others to "Be kind to one another."

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I feel relief knowing that what happened to us by the hands of that man will not happen to anyone else.