Wednesday 28 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. 0123Attempted murder, assault causing serious harm, assault, producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate · Co. Dublin · 23 Nov 2023

Parnell Square attacker Riad Bouchaker critically ill in hospital after collapsing in Cloverhill

On 23 November 2023, Riad Bouchaker, a 52-year-old Algerian man now an Irish citizen, stabbed a five-year-old girl in the heart, creche worker Leanne Flynn in the back, and other children with a 36cm carving knife at Parnell Square East in Dublin. The five-year-old girl suffered severe brain injury due to blood loss and will require lifelong care. Bouchaker was charged with attempted murder of three children, assault causing serious harm to Flynn, and other offences, and a jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him of all charges after a three-week trial ending in July 2026. Sentencing was adjourned to 16 November 2026, and on 16 October 2026 Bouchaker collapsed in Cloverhill remand prison and was taken to intensive care in a Dublin hospital, where he is critically ill but not in imminent danger.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court12 Oct
  5. Convicted12 Oct
    3 reports
  6. Sentenced12 Oct
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • On 23 November 2023, Riad Bouchaker, 52, stabbed a five-year-old girl in the heart, creche worker Leanne Flynn in the back, and other children with a 36cm carving knife at Parnell Square East, Dublin.
  • The five-year-old girl stabbed in the heart suffered severe brain injury due to blood loss and will require lifelong care.
Where
The attack took place at Parnell Square East in Dublin City.
When
The attack occurred on 23 November 2023.
Cause
Bouchaker was upset after receiving a letter he believed was a refusal of social welfare payments.
Weapon
Bouchaker used a 36cm carving knife with a 24cm blade.
Charges
Bouchaker was charged with attempted murder of two girls and one boy, assault causing serious harm to Leanne Flynn, assaulting two other children and then-teenager Alan Loren-Guille, and producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate.
In court
  • A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted Bouchaker of all charges after a three-week trial ending in July 2026.
  • Judge Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing to 16 November 2026 after hearing victim impact statements on 12 October 2026.
Other details
  • Bouchaker collapsed in Cloverhill remand prison on 16 October 2026 and was taken to intensive care in a Dublin hospital, where he is critically ill but not in imminent danger.
  • Bouchaker is an Algerian native who is now an Irish citizen, of no fixed address, with brain injuries and regular seizures.
  • Bouchaker had no previous convictions and had not worked since arriving in Ireland.
79 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe court heard about the psychological impact the attack has had on some of the victims, currently aged eight and nine. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatBouchaker is 52 years old and of no fixed address. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker waited in the area for about one hour before noticing the children. (irishmirror.ie)
  • what13 primary school students aged five and six were lining up to be taken to an after-school creche. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatBouchaker stood at a bus stop in front of the children for one minute and 45 seconds. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatBouchaker stabbed a little girl in the chest, causing a perforation to the right ventricle of her heart. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLeanne Flynn suffered a stab wound to her back while dragging Bouchaker away. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatPassersby intervened and knocked or dragged Bouchaker to the ground. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe little girl stabbed in the chest suffered brain damage due to blood loss and will require lifelong care. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe mother of a child with a head gash described Bouchaker as the monster who haunts her daughter's nightmares. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe five-year-old girl stabbed in the heart suffered severe brain injury due to blood loss and will need care for the rest of her life. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe five-year-old went from being able to dress, run, jump, climb, play, eat and make decisions to being unable to talk, walk or swallow more than a tiny piece of food. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe five-year-old takes medication four times a day and suffers muscle spasms and chronic pain and needs a tablet to sleep. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatA girl suffered an 8cm scalp wound in the attack. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatLeanne Flynn, a creche worker, suffered a stab wound in her back when she tried to pull Bouchaker away from the children. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLeanne Flynn said she hates being called a hero. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatLeanne Flynn told Bouchaker she hopes whatever god he believes in does not forgive him because harming innocent children is unforgivable. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker is in intensive care in a Dublin hospital (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe is an Algerian native who is now an Irish citizen (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe is under armed guard in hospital (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe has brain injuries and suffers regular seizures (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatRiad Bouchaker collapsed in Cloverhill remand prison in west Dublin (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker is in intensive care in a Dublin hospital and is critically ill (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatSources do not believe Bouchaker's life is in imminent danger (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker is under armed guard in hospital (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker has brain injuries and suffers regular seizures (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker is an Algerian native who is now an Irish citizen (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBouchaker tried to murder three children in the attack (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatA girl was stabbed in the heart and suffered severe brain injury due to blood loss (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe girl went from being a five-year-old who could dress, run, jump, climb, play, eat and make decisions to being unable to talk, walk or swallow more than a tiny piece of food (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe attack took place at Parnell Square East in Dublin City. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whereBouchaker went to his hostel on Little Britain Street in Dublin city centre. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereHe collapsed in Cloverhill remand prison in west Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereHe is held on the D2 landing of Cloverhill (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack occurred on November 23, 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe Parnell Square attack occurred on 23 November 2023 (dublinlive.ie)
  • causeBouchaker was upset after receiving a letter he believed was a refusal of social welfare payments. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponBouchaker armed himself with a 36cm carving knife. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker was charged with attempted murder of two girls and one boy. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker was charged with assault causing serious harm to creche worker Leanne Flynn. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker was charged with assaulting two other children and then-teenager Alan Loren-Guille. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker was charged with producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe three attempted murder charges related to a severely injured five-year-old girl, a six-year-old girl, and a five-year-old boy. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBouchaker will also be sentenced for assault causing harm to two other children. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBouchaker was convicted of producing a 36cm kitchen carving knife including a 24cm blade capable of inflicting serious injury. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBouchaker denied the attempted murder of two girls and one boy (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe denied assault causing serious harm to Leanne Flynn (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe denied assaulting two other children and then-teenager Alan Loren-Guille (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe denied producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker denied attempted murder of two girls and one boy (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker denied assault causing serious harm to Leanne Flynn (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker denied assaulting two other children and then-teenager Alan Loren-Guille (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeBouchaker denied producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtThe sentencing hearing took place in Court 19 at the Criminal Courts of Justice building. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe jury that convicted Bouchaker did so unanimously following a trial that ended in July 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDet Sgt Padraig Cleary outlined the evidence that secured Bouchaker's convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBouchaker was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court last July of eight offences including the attempted murder of three children. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Tony Hunt said he would give his sentencing decision at a later date. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe maximum sentence for attempted murder is life imprisonment. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBouchaker was found guilty of intentionally inflicting serious harm on Leanne Flynn, who underwent life-saving surgery. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Hunt ruled Bouchaker was fit to stand trial with the assistance of an interpreter and an intermediary. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtProsecuting counsel Karl Finnegan said the offence relating to Flynn should be considered in the higher range of the maximum sentence, life imprisonment. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA jury convicted Bouchaker on all charges following a three-week trial that ended in July 2026. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtHis sentencing hearing was at the Central Criminal Court (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtHis lawyers argued a life sentence would not be appropriate because of his intellectual disabilities (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA jury convicted him of all charges following a three-week trial that ended in July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing until November 16 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA jury convicted Bouchaker of all charges after a three-week trial ending in July 2026 (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing until 16 November 2026 (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtBouchaker's lawyers argued a life sentence would not be appropriate due to his intellectual disabilities (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherBouchaker spent about three weeks in hospital after the incident. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBouchaker had no previous convictions and had not worked since arriving in Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA CCTV recording of the 15-second attack on the children and a childcare worker was played in court. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe prosecution case was that Bouchaker intended to kill the children. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe injured daughter continues to be afraid of crowds, loud noises, the sight of blood, and the noise of sirens, and the family have had to stop visiting places such as Croke Park. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBouchaker had said a number of times he was grateful nobody had been killed. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe mother of a girl who suffered severe brain injury said her daughter will need care for the rest of her life (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe girl went from being a five-year-old who could dress herself, run, jump, climb, play, eat and make decisions to being unable to talk, walk or swallow more than a tiny piece of food (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe girl takes medication four times a day and suffers muscle spasms and chronic pain (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Oct2026
    Convicteddublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Parnell Square attacker Riad Bouchaker critically ill in hospital

    Reports Bouchaker's collapse in Cloverhill and transfer to intensive care, details of his sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court on Monday 12 October 2026, victim impact statements from parents and creche worker Leanne Flynn, and the adjournment of sentencing to 16 November 2026.

    convicted, Riad Bouchaker, 52, male, Algerian, named, non-irishRiad Bouchakervictim, Leanne Flynn, female, irish (judged from name)Leanne Flynnvictim, Alan Loren-Guille, male, non-irish (judged from name)Alan Loren-Guillevictim, 5, femalevictim, femalevictim, male
  2. 16 Oct2026
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Parnell Square attacker Riad Bouchaker critically ill in hospital

    Adds detail on Bouchaker's hospitalization (intensive care, armed guard, brain injuries, regular seizures on D2 landing of Cloverhill), his sentencing hearing where lawyers argued against a life sentence citing intellectual disabilities, and victim impact statements from the mothers of two injured children and creche worker Leanne Flynn.

    convicted, Riad Bouchaker, 52, male, Algerian, named, non-irishRiad Bouchakervictim, Leanne Flynn, female, irish (judged from name)Leanne Flynnvictim, Alan Loren-Guille, male, non-irish (judged from name)Alan Loren-Guillevictim
  3. 12 Oct2026
    In courtdublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Parnell Square attacker a 'monster who haunts nightmares', court hears

    Victim impact statements from parents of injured children and from Leanne Flynn delivered at Bouchaker's sentencing hearing; the five-year-old girl stabbed in the heart requires lifelong care, and the girl with the 8cm scalp wound suffers ongoing psychological effects.

    convicted, Riad Bouchaker, 52, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Riad Bouchakervictim, Leanne Flynn, female, irish (judged from name)Leanne Flynnvictim, Alan Loren-Guille, male, non-irish (judged from name)Alan Loren-Guillevictim, 5, femalevictim, female
  4. 12 Oct2026
    Convictedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    ‘The monster that haunts our nightmares’: Parents address Bouchaker in sentence hearing

    Victim impact statements from mothers of injured children and childcare worker Leanne Flynn were read at the sentencing hearing. Bouchaker's defence raised his cognitive and intellectual limitations. Judge Tony Hunt reserved his sentencing decision. Prosecution sought the higher range of the maximum sentence (life imprisonment) for the offence relating to Flynn.

    convicted, Riad Bouchaker, 52, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Riad Bouchakervictim, Leanne Flynn, female, irish (judged from name)Leanne Flynnvictim, Alan Lorena Guille, male, French, non-irishAlan Lorena Guille
  5. 12 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Crowds gather as court to hear of children's trauma after Parnell Square attack

    Describes the sentencing hearing in progress, with evidence of psychological trauma to the child victims (now aged eight and nine) being presented. Provides further detail on the attack sequence, the injuries sustained by each victim, and Bouchaker's statements to gardaí about his social welfare refusal.

    convicted, Riad Bouchaker, 52, male, Irish, named, irishRiad Bouchakervictim, Leanne Flynn, female, irish (judged from name)Leanne Flynnvictim, Alan Loren-Guille, 17, male, French, non-irishAlan Loren-Guillevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, male