Ex-Police Officer Faces Intense Questioning Over Tunnel Search Timeline
The inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe entered its fourth week at Belfast Coroner's Court, with a retired police inspector facing rigorous questioning about the urgency of the underground search operation that followed the teenager's disappearance in 2020.
Barrister Challenges Search Operation Pace
Brenda Campbell KC, representing Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, directly challenged retired inspector Menary about the speed of the police response. "I'm going to suggest that your search neither started nor proceeded with any sense of urgency," Campbell stated during Wednesday's proceedings.
The barrister questioned why it took several hours on June 23, two days after Noah disappeared, before Menary contacted the Department of Infrastructure to request maps of the underground tunnel network. "One of the questions that you might think Noah's mother might reasonably ask is where is the urgency?" Campbell pressed the witness.
Retired Officer Defends Team's Response
Mr Menary, who previously managed the PSNI's hazardous environment search team, defended the operation's pace, explaining that only two team members were available initially and that proper safety protocols needed to be followed. "I did ask the questions how soon can we get the team up there, how soon was it possible to put all the things in place in order to do a confined space entry," he testified.
The retired inspector revealed the emotional toll the case has taken on him personally, telling the court he still thinks about Noah being "naked and afraid" in the underground tunnel system. He described the search conditions as "freezing cold" and said water would seep into his protective gear while searching.
Background of the Tragic Case
Noah Donohoe, a pupil at St Malachy's College, disappeared on June 21, 2020, after leaving his home on his bicycle to meet friends in Belfast's Cavehill area. His naked body was discovered six days later in a storm drain tunnel in north Belfast. A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death was drowning.
Mr Menary testified that he had never encountered a case where someone had traveled such a distance underground in a storm drain system, particularly while naked. "Somebody doing that with no clothes would have been absolutely horrendous and you would have been absolutely frozen," he said, describing what Noah might have experienced.
Search Operation Details Revealed
The court heard that the hazardous environment search team first attended Linear Park on June 23 but didn't receive tunnel maps until later that day. The decision was made to deploy a fuller search team on Wednesday, June 24. Campbell questioned why more team members weren't deployed on Tuesday when there were still five hours of daylight remaining.
Mr Menary explained that the team searched areas including underneath Seaview football pitch, home of Crusaders FC, later in the week. He described the emotional impact on his team, saying "the longer you work on this job, the more personal it does become."
Emotional Testimony About Impact
The retired officer became emotional as he described his team's reaction to finding Noah in the tunnel system. "There was a real sense of sadness that they had found Noah in the system," he testified. "We had taken those steps that Noah had taken and there was a real amount of sadness."
Mr Menary added that there was also "frustration" within his team that they hadn't located Noah sooner. When asked by counsel for the coroner Declan Quinn if he believed his team had acted professionally and urgently, Menary responded: "I do."
The inquest, which is being heard with a jury, will resume on Thursday with further testimony expected about the search operation and the circumstances surrounding Noah Donohoe's tragic death.
