Riad Bouchaker could spend prison sentence in 23-hour lock-up

Riad Bouchaker, the man convicted of the attempted murder of three children in Dublin, faces the prospect of spending his prison sentence in isolation, potentially confined to his cell for 23 hours a day. This regime, known as protection, is likely due to concerns about his safety and the safety of other inmates.

Bouchaker, a 52-year-old naturalized Irish citizen originally from Algeria, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of attempted murder and five other offenses, including intentionally inflicting serious harm on a childcare worker. Despite undergoing surgery for a brain tumor and suffering a brain injury, he was deemed fit to stand trial. He is currently held in Cloverhill Prison's D2 landing, often referred to as "the waiting room" for transfers to the Central Mental Hospital.

However, prison sources suggest it is more probable that Bouchaker will remain within the prison system rather than be transferred to a mental health facility. His crimes and the subsequent riots they triggered across Dublin have placed him at a very high risk of attack from other prisoners. Consequently, special arrangements will be necessary to manage his incarceration.

Options for his housing include the 23-hour lock-up, or placement among sex offenders in Midlands Prison or a segregated section of Mountjoy Prison. Prison officials stated they cannot comment on individual cases, but a source indicated he would never mix with the general prison population, citing his inability to "manage himself" and the enduring threat he would face from "all angles."

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He’s the type of guy who wouldn’t have the wherewithal to manage himself and he’d be under threat from all angles. He’s not a guy who’d blend in, nobody will forget who he is.