A MAN WHO who was wrongly linked to the Parnell Street attack on social media last year has initiated legal action against online news publication Gript and its editor John McGuirk. 

On 28 November, Gript published an article on its news site in which it outlined extensive information about a man’s immigration and asylum history, and claimed it to be the history of the suspect in the 23 November attack.

The site did not name the man but published information about him, claiming that the details were about the man suspected of the stabbing attack on Parnell Square which saw three children and one woman seriously injured outside of a school. One little girl is back in critical care for her injuries related to the attack. 

Although not named by Gript, the man who is taking legal action was identified on social media by other people unrelated to the website.  

On 29 November Gript Media Ltd published a correction to its site, in place of the original article, in which it claimed that it had been misled by a source on the identity of the potential attacker. It confirmed it had not named the man in the article, adding that it had a policy not to name individuals before criminal charges are brought. 

In a statement that did not name Gript, the Garda Press Office said: “The individual referenced in the article is not a person of interest in the investigation into the knife attack of last Thursday. An Garda Síochána has contacted the online news outlet and the outlet has agreed to remove the article.

“An Garda Síochána is aware of some social media posts resulting from the article that purport to identify the individual and has put in place measures to ensure the safety of the individual.”

The plenary summons, naming McGuirk and Gript as defendants, was filed with the High Court yesterday. 

Regan, McEntee Solicitors, acting for the plaintiff, Gript and John McGuirk have been contacted for comment. 

Riad Bouchaker has been charged in court in relation to the 23 November stabbing on Parnell Square. 

Gript and McGuirk have declined to comment.