Latest news with #RiadBouchaker
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Judge calls for resources to be provided to case of man accused of Parnell Square attacks
A judge has called for resources to be provided to the case of Riad Bouchaker, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square in Dublin. At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, counsel for the prosecution said that the defence have provided a psychiatric report on the accused, but the prosecution is now preparing their own report, which is expected by the middle of October. Mr Justice Paul McDermott put the matter back to October 22nd, noting that 'serious difficulties' were being faced due to the delay in the case. 'Someone needs to provide resources for this case,' he said. READ MORE Mr Bouchaker (51), of no fixed abode, is charged with the attempted murder of two girls and one boy. He is also charged with assault causing serious harm to a care worker and possession or production of a knife. The incident occurred at Parnell Square on the afternoon of November 23rd, 2023. In December last year, the court was told that a psychiatrist assessing the accused man deemed it necessary to have further work carried out by a neuropsychologist. In April, the court heard that the expert's report had been made available, but the psychiatrist requested a further four weeks to review matters. The court also heard that the treating doctor had encountered delays accessing the defendant in prison and with regards to the availability of an interpreter. In May of this year, Mr Justice McDermott noted the age of the complainants and said the case must be given priority as soon as the psychiatric issue was resolved. He asked that everyone involved, including lawyers and professionals, 'strain themselves' to ensure it gets on as quickly as possible. When the case returned before the court in June, a senior counsel acting for Mr Bouchaker said that he received the psychiatric report and would make it available to the Director of Public Prosecutions in due course. In February of this year, the Department of Justice and the courts announced a protocol to fast-track trials involving children. The courts have committed to completing the trial process within one year, where possible, if a child is the alleged victim or perpetrator.
BreakingNews.ie
4 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Psychiatric report on man charged over Parnell Square stabbings being assessed
A psychiatric report on Riad Bouchaker, who is charged with attempting to murder three children and assaulting a care worker during an incident in Dublin, is being assessed by the prosecution, a court has been told. Mr Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, was charged with the attempted murder of two female children and one male child. Advertisement He was also charged with the assault causing serious harm to a care worker. He was further charged with three counts of assault causing harm as well as the possession and production of a 36cm kitchen knife. The incident happened at Parnell Square on November 23rd, 2023. A senior counsel for Mr Bouchaker told the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday that a psychiatric report has been made available to the DPP. Advertisement A prosecution barrister said that the report is being assessed by Dr O'Connell. Mr Justice Paul McDermott put the matter back for mention to October 22nd. Justice McDermott told the court on Wednesday that cases involving young children should be given priority and noted the ages of the complainants. A five-year-old girl and a woman in her 30s were left in a critical condition in hospital after the attack near a school on November 23rd. Advertisement Two other young children, a five-year-old boy and six-year-old girl, were also injured. The attack happened hours before a riot broke out in the city centre of the capital.
BreakingNews.ie
25-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Psychiatric report on alleged Parnell Square attacker complete, court hears
A psychiatric report has now been completed on Riad Bouchaker, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square in Dublin, a court has heard. At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, a senior counsel acting for Mr Bouchaker said he received the report on Tuesday and will make it available to the Director of Public Prosecutions in due course. Advertisement Mr Justice Paul McDermott put the matter back for mention to July 23rd. Mr Bouchaker (51), of no fixed abode, is charged with the attempted murder of two girls and one boy. He is also charged with assault causing serious harm to a care worker and possession or production of a knife. The incident occurred at Parnell Square on the afternoon of November 23rd, 2023. In December last year, the court was told that a psychiatrist assessing the accused man deemed it necessary to have further work carried out by a neuropsychologist. In April, the court heard that the expert's report had been made available, but the psychiatrist requested a further four weeks to review matters. Advertisement The court also heard that the treating doctor had encountered delays accessing the defendant in prison and with regard to the availability of an interpreter. At the last mention of the case on May 28th, the court was told that the psychiatrist had indicated she would complete her own report within three weeks. At that same sitting, Mr Justice McDermott noted the age of the complainants and said the case must be given priority as soon as the psychiatric issue was resolved. He asked that everyone involved, including lawyers and professionals, "strain themselves" to ensure it gets on as quickly as possible. In February this year, the Department of Justice and the courts announced a protocol to fast-track trials involving children. The courts have committed to completing the trial process within one year, where possible, if a child is the alleged victim or perpetrator.
Sunday World
25-06-2025
- Sunday World
Psychiatric report on alleged Parnell Square attacker now complete
Riad Bouchaker is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children The scene in Dublin city centre after the incident on Parnell Square (Brian Lawless/PA) A psychiatric report has now been completed on Riad Bouchaker, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square in Dublin, a court has heard. At the Central Criminal Court today, a senior counsel acting for Mr Bouchaker said that he received the report yesterday and will make it available to the Director of Public Prosecutions in due course. Mr Justice Paul McDermott put the matter back for mention to July 23 next. Mr Bouchaker (51), of no fixed abode, is charged with the attempted murder of two girls and one boy. He is also charged with assault causing serious harm to a care worker and possession or production of a knife. The incident occurred at Parnell Square on the afternoon of November 23, 2023. In December last year, the court was told that a psychiatrist assessing the accused man deemed it necessary to have further work carried out by a neuropsychologist. In April, the court heard that the expert's report had been made available, but the psychiatrist requested a further four weeks to review matters. The court also heard that the treating doctor had encountered delays accessing the defendant in prison and with regards to the availability of an interpreter. At the last mention of the case on May 28, the court was told that the psychiatrist had indicated she would complete her own report within three weeks. At that same sitting, Mr Justice McDermott noted the age of the complainants and said the case must be given priority as soon as the psychiatric issue was resolved. He asked that everyone involved, including lawyers and professionals, "strain themselves" to ensure it gets on as quickly as possible. In February of this year, the Department of Justice and the courts announced a protocol to fast-track trials involving children. The courts have committed to completing the trial process within one year, where possible, if a child is the alleged victim or perpetrator. The scene in Dublin city centre after the incident on Parnell Square (Brian Lawless/PA) News in 90 Seconds - June 25th
Spectator
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Why isn't the BBC telling us what caused the Ballymena riots?
Does anyone know what's actually happening in Ballymena, in Northern Ireland? If you've just been following the news on the BBC, it's actually quite hard to work out what has led to the violence which has injured at least 32 police officers. The initial news bulletins told us that there rioting youths were protesting about a sexual attack on a girl and that two teenage boys were in custody facing charges. My first thought – reverting to the Troubles – was that there was a sectarian element to the whole thing. But we also learned that the police condemned the riots as racist thuggery; so, not sectarianism, it seems, but something to do with race. A few further details came to light yesterday. We found out that the rioters were still rioting. A local MP popped up on the news to say that people were unsettled by the number of immigrants in the area. And the BBC informed us that the 14-year-old youths – who deny sexual assault – confirmed their names and ages through a Romanian interpreter at Coleraine Magistrates' Court. But these glimmers of information still offered little clarity. Wouldn't it be easier and simpler if the BBC just said that two Romanian boys living in the area are accused of an offence? Instead, we're left to make informed guesses ourselves about what's actually going on. The coverage of events in Ballymena brings to mind that of the Southport murders last July. There were allegations that the murderer was an asylum seeker; these allegations were promptly dismissed as 'fake news' or misinformation. The BBC's reporters told us that the attacker was born in Britain and living in Southport. We know now, of course, that he is Axel Rudakubana, whose Rwandan parents came here after the genocide. That fact – that his parents were from Rwanda – wasn't irrelevant to the case; their son was, it seems, obsessed with the genocide and indeed with extreme violence of all sorts. Trying to pretend that he was just some random local wasn't helpful; people inevitably came to their own conclusions. If you've just been following the news on the BBC, it's quite hard to work out what is happening The Dublin riots in 2023 happened after an Algerian was charged with stabbing a school assistant and three children, seriously injuring a five-year-old girl. But the authorities – and the news – carefully glossed over the bad-taste question of the background of the alleged attacker; social media inevitably filled the vacuum, which is precisely why the riots had an anti-immigrant aspect. Riad Bouchaker is yet to stand trial and denies the charges. Won't state broadcasters ever learn that not telling us things isn't helpful? People work things out for themselves. And if they're not told clearly by the BBC, or whoever, what the background is of the alleged perpetrators in these cases, well, the public is going to arrive at its own conclusions. This was what I did, only amplified by social media, and presumably what the Ballymena rioters have done. The sense that elements of a story are being kept from us for our own good – that is, lest people get angry about it – only adds to the idea that we're not really grown up enough to be trusted with the truth. It's not a great way to calm things down, you know.
