A man accused of attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square in Dublin in late 2023 told a Garda he was “wrong” in suggesting he had “weighed up his options” before deciding to attack smaller, rather than bigger, children.
During a recorded interview on December 21st, 2023, Riad Bouchaker repeatedly said, via an interpreter, he was “sick” when asked about his actions at Parnell Square East on November 23rd, 2023.
Det Garda Gary Moran put to Bouchaker that he had waited on the street for about 37 minutes that afternoon before attacking children.
Bouchaker, said Moran, had asked people where the school was, found it, and saw children playing. He put to Bouchaker that he “had the instinct” not to go for bigger, taller children, and “went for the smallest children you could find”.
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All that, he suggested, demonstrated “you had your full mind with you”, made decisions, and “carried out this attack”.
When Bouchaker was shown CCTV of him walking behind some older children on Parnell Square East and putting down his bag, he said he was about “to do something”. He said no one was “asking about me in life” and he “thanked God” it did not come to murder. He did something that he “did not know I was doing”.
Moran said that, instead of thanking God that the children had survived, Bouchaker should thank childcare worker Leanne Flynn. He put to Bouchaker that he had stabbed Flynn when she tried to protect the children, and knew exactly what he was doing.
Bouchaker said it was like his mind “flew away”.
When shown CCTV of children being attacked, Bouchaker said: “Someone who is not in the right state of his mind and the families of the children, when they see this, they are free to do what they want, I am sick, for 140 years, I did not have a cent, how am I supposed to live, I’m sick.”
Moran showed Bouchaker a photo of a five-year-old girl and told him he had stabbed her in the chest and heart, and also told Bouchaker of injuries to other children.
The interpreter said Bouchaker’s reply was a mixture of “I don’t know what happened, I’m a believer, I do not harm people, I would not harm anyone.”
Wednesday was the 11th day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court of Bouchaker (52), a native of Algeria of no fixed abode. He denies eight charges: attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square East on November 23rd, 2023; assault causing harm to two other children and a passerby who intervened; assault causing serious harm to Flynn, and producing a 36cm kitchen knife capable of inflicting serious injury.
During interviews with Bouchaker on December 20th and 21st, 2023, he said his brother had explained to him earlier on November 23rd that a letter from the Department of Social Protection required him to provide documents by November 22nd for his application for supplementary welfare allowance. Bouchaker said the letter “made me go into blackout” and he “never intended to kill anybody”.
On Wednesday, Det Sgt Padraig Cleary, who led the Garda investigation into the Parnell Square incident, agreed with defence counsel that two psychiatrists had said Bouchaker’s prior history of cognitive impairment and seizures before November 2023 was not sufficiently severe to give rise to a defence of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Defence counsel said “brave and necessary” interventions by members of the public at Parnell Square had led to escalation of the severity of Bouchaker’s cognitive impairment.
The psychiatrists had disagreed on the extent of the impact of this on his ability to face trial, and the judge had found him fit to plead with the assistance of accommodations.
The psychiatrists said the conduct of the Garda interviews was proper, having regard to Bouchaker’s health challenges, Cleary agreed.
He said Bouchaker has lived here for about 25 years, has been an Irish citizen for some time and has no previous convictions. He agreed no other persons were suspected of any involvement in the Parnell Square incident.
In a statement read to the jury, Dr Laura Melody, a paediatrician in emergency medicine, said she treated a five-year-old girl taken to CHI Crumlin children’s hospital at 2.44pm on November 23rd, 2023.
The girl was “bright and chatty” and had an isolated 8cm wound to the scalp. A CT scan showed no evidence of penetration. Melody cleaned and dressed the wound and administered antibiotics.
In another statement, Dr Michael Barrett said he treated a five-year-old boy for a less than 1cm laceration of the neck. Simple paper stitches were applied and no further intervention was necessary. The boy was in good spirits and was discharged that afternoon.
The judge adjourned the case to Thursday, telling the jury the prosecution case is expected to end then.
