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Dublin school stabbings: Man charged with attempted murder

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Scene if serious incident on Parnell Square East, DublinImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

The stabbing happened on Parnell Square East, not far from O'Connell Street, one of Dublin's busiest streets

A 50-year-old man has been charged with the attempted murder of three children in a stabbing attack outside a primary school in Dublin last month.

Riad Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, appeared before Dublin District Court on Thursday afternoon.

Four people were injured - three children and a school care worker - in the attack at Parnell Square East on 23 November.

One of the children and the school care worker were seriously hurt.

In addition to the attempted murder charges, Mr Bouchaker was also charged with assault causing serious harm to the care worker.

'36cm kitchen knife'

The incident led to rioting that resulted in the biggest deployment of public order police in the history of the Irish state.

Mr Bouchaker has been charged with eight offences including the possession of a 36cm kitchen knife.

The other charges include assault causing harm to two other children - a young boy and young girl - as well as the assault of a French man who intervened to help stop the attack.

The accused appeared before Dublin District Court wearing a green jacket, black top, green trousers and slippers.

He spoke only to the Arabic interpreter during the short hearing.

Det Sgt Padraig Cleary told the court that Mr Bouchaker was arrested at 12.51 local time on Thursday and provided details of the charges.

Medication list for prison

Mr Bouchaker was taken to hospital in the immediate aftermath of the attack but, according to , was discharged on Wednesday morning.

Image source, ¸é°ÕÉ
Image caption,

The scene of the school stabbing was cordoned off

The judge remanded the accused into custody at Cloverhill Prison to appear again in court via videolink on 28 December.

He ordered that Mr Bouchaker was to receive any necessary medical attention while in custody and a list of medication was provided to the prison.

The judge also ordered the defendant's legal team cannot be identified by the media due to "safety concerns".

The attack took place outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire in the early afternoon as children were waiting to be picked up after class.

A five-year-old boy who suffered minor physical injuries was discharged from hospital within hours of the attack while a six-year-old girl sustained head injuries and had to undergo surgery, but was later also released from hospital.

A five-old-girl and the school care worker, who is in her 30s, were described as critically ill in the days after the stabbing.

They are both still receiving hospital treatment.