Riad Bouchaker has been found guilty of eight charges in relation to the knife attack in Parnell Square in November 2023. 

The 52-year-old had denied all charges, with his lawyers insisting that he was not in his right mind when he carried out the attack. 

A jury of nine men and three woman returned guilty verdicts on all eight charges against him on Wednesday afternoon, including assault causing serious harm to a childcare worker.

He was also found guilty of assault causing harm to two children and a French man who intervened in the incident, along with a knife offence.

The 52-year-old of no fixed address had pleaded not guilty to the offences at Parnell Square on the 23rd of November 2023.

Riad Bouchaker

During the weeks of evidence, the court heard that Bouchaker’s attack had left one girl with brain damage, who has been left with life-changing injuries. 

Mr Bouchaker was found guilty of stabbging Leanne Flynn, who Bouchaker attacked while she tried to protect the children in her care. 

The court learned that she had been placed in an induced coma and underwent two emergency surgeries. She has not been able to work since then. 

On The Hard Shoulder, reporter Emily Keegan recounted that relatives of some of Bouchaker’s child victims were in court. 

While Bouchaker had no reaction in the dock as the verdicts were read out, families were seen hugging each other with relief. 

“Throughout the entirety of the trial, he has been aided by an Arabic-French interpreter,” she said. 

“These verdicts were translated to him but there was no visible reaction before he was brought back into the custody room.”

Bouchaker will be sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt at a later date. 

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Main image : Gardaí in Parnell Square. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews