Noah Donohoe Inquest: Daryl Paul Denies Having Schoolboy's Phone or Coat

The inquest into the tragic death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has entered its 13th week at the Belfast Coroner’s Court. In recent proceedings, Daryl Paul, who previously admitted to stealing Noah’s rucksack and laptop, returned to the stand to face questioning regarding other items belonging to the St Malachy’s College pupil. Paul told the jury that he had never set eyes on Noah and insisted he was never in possession of the boy's green coat or mobile phone.

During questioning by Brenda Campbell KC, representing Noah’s mother Fiona, Paul denied that a hand seen in a photograph on Noah’s phone belonged to him. The photo was reportedly taken on the evening Noah disappeared, approximately 40 minutes after he was last seen. Ms. Campbell pointed out that at the time the photo was taken, the phone had six missed calls from 'Mum'. Paul maintained that he did not have the device and did not see the incoming messages or calls.

The jury was shown CCTV footage placing Paul in the Queen’s Quarter area, close to Noah’s home, on the evening the schoolboy went missing. While Paul claimed he was in the area to visit an acquaintance, the barrister highlighted that Noah cycled past him within a matter of metres. Within an hour of that moment, Noah’s rucksack ended up in a green bag Paul was seen carrying. Paul argued that he found the bag on the ground in the York Street area and that his proximity to Noah’s journey was a coincidence.

The court also addressed an anonymous tip-off suggesting Paul had been seen with Noah’s green coat, a claim Paul firmly denied. Ms. Campbell questioned if Paul had followed Noah's journey toward North Queen Street or if he had thrown the phone over railings into Castleton Park, but Paul stated he was not in the area.

Noah’s body was found in a storm drain in North Belfast in June 2020, six days after he left home to meet friends in the Cavehill area. A post-mortem concluded the cause of death was likely drowning. As the community continues to follow the proceedings, the inquest remains ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy.