3 days ago
Young man (24) accused of bridge attack held Algerian in headlock during stabbing, court told
A young man allegedly held an Algerian national in a headlock in Dublin city centre on Monday while a second attacker stabbed and critically injured him, a court heard.
Abdul Kouadria (24), with an address at Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 and previously of Richmond Road, Dublin 3, was refused bail by Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Thursday.
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The Irish-Algerian accused was charged with assault causing harm to the man who remains in intensive care at the Mater Hospital after he suffered life-threatening injuries at Rosie Hackett Bridge, Eden Quay, Dublin 1 on Monday afternoon.
Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Sean Dineen cited the seriousness of the case and submitted that the accused was a flight risk. He mentioned that Mr Kouadria had been born in Ireland but mainly lived outside the country and returned about three years ago.
He said there was an altercation at 4.30pm on Monday, and according to onlookers, the accused and the injured man "were engaged in a scuffle on the bridge."
It was alleged Mr Kouadria "placed him in a headlock and dragged him on the ground," and another man approached.
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It was unclear who brought the knife to the scene, but witnesses purportedly saw the second alleged attacker stab the man using several stabbing and slashing motions.
The detective said the Garda position was that the critical injuries were a result of a "joint enterprise assault", inflicted by the accused and a second male.
It was alleged that Mr Kouadria took the man's jumper and walked off.
His runners have been seized and subject to analysis, and Garda divers recovered the knife from the Liffey and it will be examined.
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CCTV evidence has been harvested, the court heard.
Detective Garda Dineen said that while Mr Kouadria was born in Ireland, he had only lived here since 2023.
Defence solicitor Kelly Breen said the case was at a very early stage, and the evidence could be subject to cross-examination in the correct forum.
In exchanges with Detective Garda Dineen, she said her client was not alleged to have been brandishing the knife in the CCTV footage.
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He replied: "No, but he holds the injured party in a headlock while the second male stabs the injured party."
The solicitor accepted that Mr Kouadria had been abroad, adding that he had been in Saudi Arabia, where his father lived.
She submitted that her client had a presumption of innocence and bail, and although the charge was very serious, strict conditions could be imposed. The court heard there were issues over his residence, and the detective said the accused used a Dublin 9 address but had been accessing homeless services at Gardiner Street.
The solicitor asked the court to consider fixing bail, subject to him offering a permanent address, obeying a curfew, surrendering travel documents, and providing a contact phone number.
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Judge Finan highlighted that the accused enjoyed the presumption of innocence. However, she held that Detective Garda Dineen made a very cogent application, and she refused to grant bail.
The accused, who did not address the court, was remanded in custody to appear again next week while gardaí seek directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On Wednesday, a 31-year-old man accused of inflicting severe knife slashing wounds during the same incident was also denied bail.
Adel Attal, from Algeria but living in Ireland for two years, and with an address in State accommodation on Henry Street, Mallow, Co Cork, was charged with assault causing harm and brandishing a knife as a weapon during the incident. His application to be released revealed that the injured man suffered serious stab wounds to his stomach, back, and legs, requiring emergency surgery.
