The jury in the inquest into the death of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe has been sent out to consider its findings. The 14-year-old was found naked in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020 after being missing for six days.
Jury Tasked with Answering 10 Questions
The jury of eight men and two women has been tasked with unanimously agreeing responses to 10 questions, including the date of Noah’s death and whether any errors made by police contributed to his death. It comes after almost six months of evidence at Belfast Coroner’s Court involving 76 witnesses, statements from a further 42 people, maps, video footage, photographs, police logs and expert reports.
Circumstances of Noah’s Disappearance
Noah, a pupil at St Malachy’s College, was found in the storm drain tunnel in north Belfast six days after he left home on his bike to meet two friends in the Cavehill area of the city. CCTV evidence and witnesses show Noah took a detour from his planned route, cycling instead along York Road and ending up on Northwood Road where it is suggested he entered the tunnel via a culvert behind a house.
The inquest was shown CCTV of Noah cycling naked along Northwood Road, and evidence that some residents heard noises including screams on the night of June 21 when he went missing. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was drowning.
Coroner’s Charge to the Jury
Coroner Mr Justice Rooney took two days to read his charge to the jury which numbered more than 70,000 words. He told the jury it “must decide the case solely on the evidence you have seen and heard in this court, rather than guesswork or any rumours you may have heard”. He added jurors are “under no pressure of time”, “you must take as long as you need to discuss the issue”.
