The fifth week of the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has concluded at Belfast Coroner’s Court, bringing to light several critical points concerning the investigation and the search operation. This week, the court heard from police officers and rescue volunteers who were on the ground during those difficult days in June 2020.
Detective Sergeant Gardner, the CCTV co-ordinator for the investigation, explained that police worked backwards from Northwood Road—the last confirmed sighting of Noah—to trace his movements. During his testimony, he noted that one working hypothesis at the time was that Noah may have suffered a head injury after falling from his bicycle. The court also discussed Noah’s behavior before leaving his home in Fitzroy Avenue, with police stating they had received reports that he had been acting unusually before his departure. Questions were also raised regarding the CCTV priorities and why certain routes away from Noah's home were not initially the primary focus.
A significant portion of the week’s testimony focused on the search efforts led by the Community Rescue Service (CRS). Regional Commander Sean McCarry described the search as relentless, highlighting the incredible response from our North Belfast community. Residents turned out in large numbers to assist, showing the strength and solidarity of our neighborhood during a time of great local heartbreak. The search teams faced challenging conditions, scouring dense thickets and water in their urgent attempt to find the schoolboy. The court also noted that a culvert in the area where Noah disappeared was found to be unlocked and easily accessible.
However, the inquest also raised questions regarding the flow of information during the search. It was revealed that the last known location of Noah’s phone was not passed to search-and-rescue teams until seven hours after the police first received the data. Mr. McCarry stressed that in such operations, time equals survivability, and he would have expected all relevant information to be shared immediately to aid the search. As the inquest continues to seek answers for Fiona Donohoe and the entire family, we remain committed to keeping our local residents informed on these important proceedings.