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Yesterday at the Central Criminal Court, a jury presiding over the trial of Algerian man, Riad Bouchaker, watched a video from a Garda interview dating from the 21st of December 2023.
During the interview, in which questions were put to the accused by Detective Garda Gary Moran, Bouchaker, who is accused of three counts of attempted murder in respect of three small children, repeatedly thanked “God” that none of the children had died.
Garda Moran informed the accused that although there were no fatalities related to the knife attack outside a school on Parnell Square on the 23rd of November 2023, one of the victims had sustained “life-changing injuries”.
He told Bouchaker that a woman who was stabbed during the incident, Leanne Flynn, had sustained injuries requiring the removal of her spleen, and that she was “minding” the children when the attack took place.
“When you attacked these children, ok, when you went to stab them with your knife, Leanne protected them. So when you thank God for them not dying, don’t bother, you can thank Leanne,” he said.
Bouchaker said, “That’s correct, you should be thanking the lady, and it looks like my mind flew away.”
“Riad, you knew exactly what you were doing. When Leanne tried to stop you, you stabbed her to get at the children. Her spleen was removed, her lung was punctured, and she’s still in the hospital now.”
Bouchaker replied,“They told me I was in the hospital”.
Garda Moran responded, “This is [name of most seriously injured child] this little girl here is [name], she is five years old. You stabbed [name] into the chest, and the ventricle going into her heart.”
Bouchaker, “I’m a believer that does not hurt people. I would not harm anyone.”
Interpreter, “It’s not making sense.”
“[Name] has not fallen here; she’s collapsed. She’s clinically dead in this picture; she was revived at the scene.” Garda Moran continued.
“I couldn’t understand what he said,” said the interpreter.
Bouchaker, “I’m a believer that does not hurt people. I would not harm anyone.”
Garda Moran, “This is the knife that inflicted all those injuries on all those children.”
Bouchaker, “It’s an action of an unstable man.”
Garda Moran, “Your DNA is on this [name of most seriously injured child’s] blood is on this.”
Bouchaker, “The suitcase I left the suitcase with the man I found myself with a knife.”
Garda Moran said, “You found the school yourself, you asked people directions, you spoke to people rationally, you found it on your phone, you interacted with many people, but you didn’t stab any of those people. You found the school. You had the instinct not to attack taller children. You went for the smallest children you could find. You demonstrate that you had your full mind with you.”
Bouchaker, “I was not in the right state of my mind. I want to be exact about this. I did not know what I was doing. I did something to children in this situation; there were no hurt people. I did something wrong to children where there were not many people.”
Garda Moran, “You waited until there were minimal people around. These are the children here”.
Bouchaker, “I’m sick.”
Bouchaker, “You were waiting for all the children to come out here. You have your hand down the front of the bag. My view is that you’re waiting for all the peds to pass. You waited for all the older people to pass. You saw your moment.
“[Name of most seriously injured child] has life-changing injuries. Do you understand that?”
Bouchaker, “Importantly, I’m a sick person in this incident.”
“Riad, you have taken the knife out of your bag. This lady has walked past you, and the bus has pulled off. There are the least amount of people and the most amount of children.”
“Thank God there are no fatalities. I am a sick man, do to me whatever you want.”
“What is your sickness?” Garda Moran asked, before the accused said, “My shoulder.”
“Did your shoulder cause you to do this?” asked the detective Garda.
The trial continues with the prosecuting team, Carl Finnegan SC and Carol Doherty BL, expected to conclude their evidence today. The jury previously heard that Leanne Flynn has not been able to return to work since the incident.
The identity of the defence team and the consultant psychiatrist involved in assessing the accused cannot be reported by order of the court.
The accused is also charged with assault causing serious harm in respect of Ms Flynn, two counts of assault causing harm in respect of two small children, one count of assault causing harm to a male French national, and possession of a 36cm kitchen knife.
Mr Bouchaker, who came to Ireland 25 years ago and claimed asylum, denies all charges.
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