A police constable has provided detailed testimony at the ongoing inquest into the death of schoolboy Noah Donohoe, describing CCTV footage he viewed that showed a naked youth abandoning his bicycle and sprinting toward wasteland in north Belfast.
Inquest Enters Fourth Week with Jury Present
The proceedings at Belfast Coroner's Court, which include a jury, have now reached their fourth week as investigators continue to piece together the events leading to the 14-year-old's tragic death. Noah Donohoe, a pupil at St Malachy's College, disappeared in June 2020 after leaving his home on his bike to meet friends in the Cavehill area of the city.
Officer's Account of the CCTV Footage
Constable Morrow told the court that he was on duty at 11pm on June 22, 2020, when he was dispatched to Northwood Road to conduct CCTV inquiries following Noah's disappearance. He stated that a resident approached him, claiming to have relevant footage on a mobile phone from a domestic CCTV system.
The officer recounted watching the footage, which depicted a male cycling up Northwood Road shortly after 6pm on the previous evening. He noted, "The male appeared to be younger from his stature. However, at no point did I see the male's face to confirm age. I observed that the male had no clothes on and jumped off his bike and ran between houses and the direction of wasteland behind the street."
Technical and Procedural Questions Raised
Mr Morrow added that the resident informed him the footage was approximately three minutes slow, a detail he accepted without immediate verification. He explained that he could not seize the footage at the time because the resident did not know how to download it from the system.
During cross-examination, Brenda Campbell KC, counsel for Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, questioned the officer on several procedural aspects. She asked why he had no handwritten notes of the incident and why he did not conduct an immediate timecheck on the footage to verify its accuracy.
The officer responded that he took the resident at his word regarding the timing discrepancy and noted he had no further involvement in the subsequent inquiries after that night.
Background of the Case
Noah Donohoe's naked body was discovered in a storm drain tunnel in north Belfast six days after he went missing. A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was drowning. The inquest aims to uncover the full circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death, with this latest testimony shedding light on potential sightings and movements in the area.
The ongoing investigation continues to explore all available evidence, including witness statements and digital footage, as the court seeks to provide answers to the family and the public regarding this heartbreaking incident.
