Firefighter tells Parnell Square trial of severe injuries suffered by crèche worker
Brian Mulvaney, the station officer in charge of a fire truck with three firefighter paramedics and a driver, told the Central Criminal Court that he decided to attend Parnell Square after hearing reports of what had allegedly occurred there. File picture: PA
A firefighter has described seeing what appeared to be an internal organ protruding through a large wound on the back of a crèche worker who was injured during the alleged knife attack at Parnell Square in Dublin city centre.
Brian Mulvaney, the station officer in charge of a fire truck with three firefighter paramedics and a driver, told the Central Criminal Court that he decided to attend Parnell Square after hearing reports of what had allegedly occurred there at about 1.30pm on November 23, 2023.
Mr Mulvaney was giving evidence in the trial of Riad Bouchaker, 52, who denies attempting to murder three children and assaulting others.
Mr Mulvaney told prosecution counsel Carol Doherty BL that when he arrived, he encountered a “chaotic” scene and immediately saw a young girl on the footpath receiving CPR from a paramedic and a member of the public.
“The little girl was on her back,” he said. “Her pink shoes, I remember them to this day. They stood out.”
He also saw crèche worker Leanne Flynn sitting on the steps of a nearby hotel and appearing to be in obvious distress.
Mr Mulvaney said he directed one member of his crew to assist the girl and noticed that a man, whom he later understood to be the accused, was lying on the ground further along the footpath. He said the man was surrounded by a cordon of women holding hands to prevent members of the public from reaching him.
He instructed his crew to assist both Ms Flynn and the child before moving towards Mr Bouchaker.
According to Mr Mulvaney, the women initially shouted at him to “get back”, but allowed him access when they realised he was a firefighter.
As more paramedics arrived at the scene, Mr Mulvaney returned to assist Ms Flynn.
He said he noticed a large amount of blood on her back and that she was struggling to breathe.
When he lifted her top, he observed a large laceration and what appeared to be an internal organ protruding through the wound, which he believed may have been her lung.
He said he dressed the wound before helping to place Ms Flynn on a stretcher and into an ambulance as quickly as possible.
Mr Bouchaker, of no fixed address, is on trial charged with the attempted murder of two girls and one boy, and with assault causing serious harm to Ms Flynn at Parnell Square East on November 23, 2023.
He is also 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. The trial is expected to last up to five weeks.
Advanced paramedic David Hosback told Ms Doherty that when he arrived at the scene, another paramedic had already inserted a syringe into the injured girl's bone marrow to administer medication directly into her bloodstream.
The paramedic had also administered medication and carried out chest compressions.
Mr Hosback said he assisted with inserting a breathing tube and helped administer a blood transfusion after the girl was placed in an ambulance and transferred to Temple Street Hospital.
Detective Garda Aaron Grattan told Karl Finnegan SC, prosecuting, that he was travelling in an unmarked patrol car with two colleagues from the Special Detective Unit when they received a report of the alleged stabbing.
He also described the scene as “chaotic” and said he saw the young girl being treated by emergency services.
Det Gda Grattan said he later went to the Mater Hospital, where both Ms Flynn and the man he subsequently learned was Mr Bouchaker had been taken.
He told the court he seized Mr Bouchaker's clothing, runners and wallet and placed them in evidence bags.
He also recovered a hat from the area where Mr Bouchaker had been lying on the ground at Parnell Square while receiving treatment from paramedics.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt sent the jury of nine men and three women home after lunch on Thursday after one juror informed the court of a personal matter requiring attention.
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