Riad Bouchaker, aged 52, of no fixed address, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court 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 23, 2023.

He is further charged with assaulting two other children and an adult male and with producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his trial is expected to last up to five weeks.

Mr Donoghue told prosecution counsel Karl Finnegan SC that he was walking with his family towards Parnell Square East when he noticed a commotion. 

He initially thought it was an argument between a man and a woman but as he ran towards it, he saw a man with a knife in his right hand. The man was close to a group of children and was moving the knife in a downward motion, he said.

He said he "hit him a dig in the jaw" with his right hand clenched into a fist. 

Mr Donoghue said:

He had to be put down, because of what he was doing.

Other people also got involved, he said, and the situation turned to "chaos".

During cross-examination, Mr Bouchaker's defence counsel told the witness that he had been "extraordinarily brave" and did "exactly the right thing" when he boxed Mr Bouchaker and kicked him to make sure he stayed down.

The witness agreed that Mr Bouchaker was "waving or stabbing with" the knife and appeared to be in a position to kill or seriously injure the children.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of nine men and three women.