Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7610Assault causing serious harm · Co. Dublin · 2 Jun 2025

Man jailed for stabbing a man on Rosie Hackett Bridge, Dublin

On 2 June 2025 an Algerian man was attacked on Rosie Hackett Bridge, Dublin 1, after being followed out of a city centre cafe by another man, with whom he had fought about three weeks earlier. Adel Attal, a 32-year-old Algerian man, joined the fight, took a 12-inch kitchen knife from that man and slashed the victim, then threw the knife into the Liffey. Attal was arrested on Grafton Street shortly afterwards, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, and on 10 July 2026 Judge Dunphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court set a headline sentence of nine and a half years reduced to seven and a half with one year suspended, which the Irish Mirror reported as six and a half years' imprisonment. The co-accused, who the court heard started the attack, is still before the courts.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced10 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The victim, an Algerian man, was stabbed on Rosie Hackett Bridge, Dublin 1, on 2 June 2025.
  • The co-accused stabbed the victim in the stomach before Adel Attal joined the scene.
  • Attal grabbed the knife from the co-accused and slashed the victim several times to the leg and back.
  • Attal threw the knife into the Liffey after the attack.
  • The victim sustained a deep wound that nearly exposed his spine and needed 10 staples for each of two wounds in his back.
  • A paramedic thought the victim was dead at one point during the journey to the Mater Hospital.
Where
The victim had been socialising with fellow Algerians at a city centre cafe before the attack.
Cause
The co-accused had been in a fight with the victim about three weeks before the attack.
Weapon
The weapon was a 12-inch kitchen knife, which the Garda Underwater Unit recovered.
Investigation
  • Attal was arrested on Grafton Street after a garda noticed blood spatters on his legs and erratic behaviour.
  • Attal made no admissions when arrested and interviewed, and CCTV footage of the incident was played to the court.
Charges
Attal pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
In court
The DPP placed the offending in the mid-range, and the case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sentence
Judge Dunphy set a headline sentence of nine and a half years, reduced to seven and a half years with one year suspended on conditions; the Irish Mirror reported six and a half years' imprisonment.
Other details
The victim, who had arrived from Algeria in recent months, spent two days in intensive care and three weeks in hospital, is recovering well, and declined to give a victim impact statement.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAttal pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at Rosie Hackett Bridge, Dublin 1, on 2 June 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim sustained a deep wound that nearly exposed his spine (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAttal threw the knife into the Liffey after the attack (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe co-accused stabbed the victim in the stomach before Attal joined the scene (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA paramedic thought the victim was dead at one point during the journey to the Mater Hospital (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim required 10 staples for each of the two wounds in his back (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim was in intensive care for two days and in hospital for three weeks (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe victim was socialising with fellow Algerians at a city centre cafe (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe weapon used was a 12-inch kitchen knife (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAttal was arrested on Grafton Street after a garda noticed blood spatters on his legs and erratic behaviour (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAttal made no admissions when arrested and interviewed (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe knife was recovered by the Garda Underwater Unit (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationCCTV footage of the incident was played to the court (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe DPP placed the offending in the mid-range (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Dunphy set a headline sentence of nine and a half years, reduced to seven and a half years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceOne year of the sentence was suspended on conditions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim had arrived from Algeria in recent months (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe co-accused was someone the victim had been in a fight with about three weeks prior (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim is recovering well and declined to provide a victim impact statement (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 10 Jul2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man jailed for stabbing victim who thought he was coming to help

    Reports the sentencing of Adel Attal to six and a half years' imprisonment (headline 9.5 years, reduced to 7.5, with one year suspended) for the 2 June 2025 stabbing at Rosie Hackett Bridge. Details the circumstances, the victim's injuries and recovery, forensic evidence, and Attal's 21 previous convictions. The co-accused who started the attack is still before the courts.

    victim, male, Algerian, non-irishconvicted, Adel Attal, 32, male, Algerian, named, non-irishAdel Attalaccused, male