In brief
In a decisive verdict from the Central Criminal Court, Riad Bouchaker, aged 52, was convicted of attempted murder of three children and multiple assault charges following a violent incident outside a Dublin school. The case highlighted the severe impact on victims, especially a five‑year‑old girl who suffered lasting brain injury. The jury's six‑hour deliberation culminated in a unanimous guilty verdict. Judge Tony Hunt praised the jury’s diligence, noting that the outcome reflected the evidence presented. Sentencing is set for 12 October, with Bouchaker remanded in custody. The initial attack triggered widespread riots, damaging police vehicles, shops, buses and a tram, and prompting Ireland’s most extensive deployment of riot police. Police Chief Drew Harris condemned the unrest as “far‑right”‑driven hooligan behaviour.
A 52‑year‑old man, Riad Bouchaker, was found guilty by the Central Criminal Court of attempting to murder three children and assaulting four other people following an attack outside a school in Dublin’s Parnell Square in November 2023.
Bouchaker, who had no fixed address and was aided by an interpreter at the hearing, was also convicted of assault causing serious harm to a crèche worker and of assaulting two other children and a teenager. He was found guilty of all eight charges, after having denied them prior to trial.
The most serious consequence was inflicted on a five‑year‑old girl, who was left with a lifelong brain injury after Bouchaker stabbed her in the heart. Three children and an adult were injured in the violence.
The jury deliberated for roughly six hours, reaching a unanimous verdict on the Wednesday afternoon following their Tuesday session. Judge Tony Hunt thanked the jury for its hard work, noting the difficulty of listening to the evidence and affirming that the verdicts were entirely in line with what was heard.
Sentencing is scheduled for 12 October, and Bouchaker will remain remanded in custody until that date.
The November 2023 attack sparked widespread riots across Dublin. Within hours, rioters destroyed 11 police vehicles, damaged or looted 13 shops, destroyed three buses and a tram, and injured several police officers during about three hours of sustained violence. The most riot police in Irish state history were deployed to restore order.
Irish Police Chief Drew Harris blamed the rioting on a “lunatic, hooligan faction driven by a far‑right ideology” and urged that the situation be controlled through calm and restraint.
