Riad Bouchaker told gardaí he went into 'blackout' after social welfare refusal

Eoin Reynolds

When gardai were showing Riad Bouchaker CCTV footage of his movements leading up to the moment he is alleged to have attempted to murder three children in Dublin city centre, he said that if the Department of Social Welfare had helped him, "this wouldn't have happened".

Bouchaker told gardaí that he is an Irish national and that the department's decision to refuse him social welfare "made me go into blackout".

He said it felt like "this country is telling me to leave", said he was not in his right mind at the time and was in need of help.

He mentioned on a number of occasions that he was refused a disability allowance and in his fourth interview, when gardaí were showing him CCTV of his own movements on the day, he said: "I have an injury in my head, I have a shoulder injury. I can't work. I did not counterfeit anything to get the disability allowance. If they only helped me, this wouldn't have happened."

He also told gardaí that he had never done anything similar before and, mentioning a girl, he said he was "ready for whatever the family wants".

He later said: "I was told the girl was saved and I am happy that she is saved."

Bouchaker also told gardaí that one hour before the alleged attack, he went to a mosque on Talbot St to leave a bag containing his belongings and his Algerian and Irish passports.

He said he had never prayed at that mosque but identified himself entering the building and speaking to a man at about 12.30. He said he told the man to keep his passports as he would be back for them but to donate the rest of the contents or "do whatever you want with it".

He told gardai not to "go thinking I was into something ill, I just went and met him and told him to take the suitcase". When he left the suitcase, he said he was not thinking of going to hurt people.

The trial jury has been viewing DVDs of 52-year-old Mr Bouchaker's garda interviews from December 20, 2023, at Mountjoy Garda Station. He had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

In his second interview, Garda Conor Mackey asked Mr Bouchaker why his anger at the social welfare refusal made him "do that".

Bouchaker replied: "I don't know why I did that. My mind feels like there is no brain in my head. It feels squeezed, smashed. Do whatever you want to me guys."

He said he thanked god all the children are alive, adding: "They did nothing to deserve what happened to them but it wasn't me in my right mind."

When Gda Mackey asked Bouchaker, "why children?" he replied: "I know the parents got hurt most by this incident in which the children were hurt, but I would never do that in my conscious mind."

Bouchaker said he knew he did something wrong, adding: "I was upset because of the negative decision from social welfare but I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

He said he "did not mean to do what happened" and he did not have "any conscience to go and hurt anybody". He said he is sick and his doctor has told him he is sick.

Gda Mackey showed Bouchaker a knife that was found at the scene. The accused confirmed that it was the same knife he had taken from his accommodation on the day of the alleged stabbing.

The trial previously heard that one of the girls injured in the alleged attack suffered severe brain damage due to blood loss having been stabbed in the heart.

Det Gda Kevin Bambrick today (TUE) told prosecution counsel Carol Doherty BL that he and Det Gda Gary Moran conducted Mr Bouchaker's fourth interview at Mountjoy Garda Station.

Det Gda Moran told Bouchaker that gardai believe he attempted to murder people on Parnell Square East.

Bouchaker replied: "I was upset because of the social welfare. I was not in my right state of mind. I was not aware of what I was doing, I did not mean to do what I did and, most importantly, the kids are fine."

He said he had applied for a disability allowance and had been waiting for one year and three months. He said it "really upset me" and added: "If only I could work, I would not seek to get this payment. I am sick, that's why I applied for the disability allowance."

On the day of the alleged attack, he said he met his brother who read and explained the letter to him. Afterwards, he said he tore the letter and "went straight away to get the knife".

The knife, he said, was brand new and was "well packaged". He said he wanted to take it with him to Algeria, adding: "I just liked it."

After tearing up the letter, he said he went to his accommodation on Little Britain St and left again a short time later with the knife.

He added: "I felt my mind compressed, I don't know what happened. I prayed to god that things would not get any worse."

Gda Moran showed Bouchaker a letter from the Department of Social Protection dated November 15, 2023 - eight days prior to the incident on Parnell Square.

The detective said the letter told Bouchaker that he needed to submit more documentation for his application for a basic supplementary welfare allowance. The letter stated that failure to supply the documents by November 22 that year would result in his claim being closed or disallowed.

Bouchaker repeated that his brother read the letter for him and after the explanation, the accused man tore it up. He added: "I'm a bit distressed, a bit nervous, but I'm okay as long as the children did not pass away."

Bouchaker, of no fixed address, is charged with the attempted murder of two girls and one boy, and assault causing serious harm to creche worker Leanne Flynn, at Parnell Square East in Dublin City on November 23rd, 2023.

He is further charged with assaulting two other children and a teenager and with producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of nine men and three women.