The North Belfast community continues to closely follow the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe. As the proceedings at Belfast Coroner’s Court conclude their sixth week, several critical pieces of testimony have shed light on the police search efforts and the conditions of the area where Noah was discovered in 2020.
One of the most striking revelations came from Sergeant Hutchings, the lead police search adviser. He informed the court that during the initial search, it was estimated there was only a 5% possibility that Noah was inside the culvert where his body was eventually found. While the officer maintained that the search was conducted as quickly and safely as possible, he admitted that the discovery was largely due to his specific decision to search the underground water tunnels after noticing a cover that could be opened. He expressed his belief that without this specific action, Noah might never have been found.
These police accounts were challenged by Brenda Campbell KC, the barrister representing Noah’s mother, Fiona. She argued that the jury should not simply accept the claim that nothing could have been done differently to locate Noah sooner. The court also heard that in the early stages of the disappearance, police investigated the potential involvement of known sex offenders as they worked to exhaust all possibilities when Noah was not immediately located.
The physical environment of the storm drain system was also a point of focus. Witnesses described the tunnels as being in 'complete and utter darkness.' Additionally, an official from the Department for Infrastructure Rivers was questioned regarding how easily the culvert system could be accessed from the rear of houses within a local North Belfast estate.
Closing the week, the coroner, Mr. Justice Rooney, spoke to the jury about the pace of the proceedings. He acknowledged that the inquest is moving more slowly than he had originally anticipated, stating it is 'moving, maybe, not as quickly as I would have hoped.' As the community continues to seek answers alongside the Donohoe family, further updates are expected as the legal process moves forward.