A witness has told the jury in the Noah Donohoe inquest that she heard two screams on the night the schoolboy went missing. Tanya Brown, who lives on Premier Drive in north Belfast, said she was in bed at around midnight on June 21, 2020, when she heard what sounded like a scream. She woke her husband and they went into the back garden, where she heard a second scream.
Ms Brown said the screams sounded like they came from a distance and resembled a girl screaming. She stood outside for about five minutes before returning inside. The following day, she became aware that Noah was missing after seeing messages from friends and a search operation near her home.
Brenda Campbell KC, counsel for Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, noted that Ms Brown's police statement referred to hearing at least two, and potentially three screams. Ms Brown confirmed there was no doubt in her mind that what she heard was human.
Earlier, a police constable involved in the search for Noah gave evidence for a second day. The officer was questioned about a statement he provided to the Coroner's Service in January 2021, in which he said Ms Donohoe had described Noah as “very weepy” and had requested counselling for him. Ms Campbell said this detail had not appeared in his notes or police logs from the time Noah was missing.
The constable's statement also referenced Noah's interest in the book 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. The inquest has previously heard that Noah had read the book and discussed it with friends. Ms Campbell asked whether the officer was aware of any focus on how Noah's reading of the book became a feature of the investigation. The officer said his statement was based on recollections from conversations with Ms Donohoe.
