Dublin Man Convicted of Attempted Murder of Three Children Amid Violent Riots

Riad Bouchaker, aged 52, was found guilty of attempting to murder three children and assaulting four other individuals in Dublin’s Parnell Square on 23 November 2023. The indictment included the stabbing of a five‑year‑old girl in the chest, which left her with a permanent brain injury.

In addition to the assault on the child, Bouchaker was convicted of causing serious harm to crèche worker Leanne Flynn and of assaulting two other children and a teenager. He faced a total of eight charges, all of which were upheld by the jury after a six‑hour deliberation.

The trial was conducted at the Central Criminal Court, where Bouchaker maintained a firm defense. Judge Tony Hunt thanked the jury for their “hard work,” noting the facts were clear and “entirely in line with the evidence.”

Sentencing for the case will take place on 12 October, with Bouchaker remaining in custody until then.

The Aftermath: Dublin Riots

The attack sparked widespread rioting across Dublin, prompting the deployment of Ireland’s largest police force ever. Within hours, raiders destroyed 11 police vehicles, looted 13 shops, and torched several buses and a tram on O’Connell Street. Police chief Drew Harris described the rioters as a “lunatic, hooligan faction driven by far‑right ideology.”