The ongoing inquest into the tragic death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has heard compelling testimony from multiple witnesses who discovered the teenager's personal belongings on a north Belfast street in the hours and days following his disappearance. Noah was found deceased in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he left his home on his bicycle to meet friends in the Cavehill area.
Detailed Witness Accounts Emerge in Court
The proceedings, now entering their third week at Belfast Coroner's Court, have been attended daily by Noah's mother, Fiona Donohoe. On Monday, the court focused on evidence from residents of Northwood Road, located near both the storm drain and the site of the last confirmed sighting of the teenager before his disappearance on June 21, 2020.
Chris Morrow's Testimony
Chris Morrow told the inquest he had been visiting a relative on Northwood Road on the evening Noah went missing. As he departed later that night, he observed a black bicycle lying on its side on the footpath. The following day, after finishing work, Mr Morrow noticed a black helmet on the street and contacted police after seeing social media posts about a missing boy.
"I did not see Noah in the area," Mr Morrow stated clearly during his testimony. He was subsequently shown CCTV footage from the street on the evening of the disappearance, which showed feet and legs with shadows moving in the top right corner of the recording. Mr Morrow identified one pair of feet as his own and the second as belonging to his eldest daughter, revealing he only became aware of this footage when police visited his home two weeks prior to the inquest.
Lauren Morrow's Statement
The statement of Mr Morrow's wife, Lauren, was then read to the court. She reported leaving her grandfather's house on Northwood Road at approximately 7pm on the evening of Noah's disappearance when she saw a black bike lying on its side. After taking her dog for a walk and entering Northwood Crescent, she noticed a black skater helmet positioned beside a lamppost.
"I noticed it as it was brand new, and I had thought to myself, why was it sitting there? It didn't appear to have any damage to it," her statement recounted.
Additional Clothing Discoveries
The inquest then heard from Lauren Russell, whose statement described checking her front door was locked when she saw a navy jacket draped over a neighbour's wall. Venturing outside, she discovered a pair of dark trainers featuring a bright orange or yellow Nike tick on the ground.
"When I looked at it, it was as if somebody had placed them there," Ms Russell observed. She initially wondered whether the items belonged to workmen, as her neighbour had been having renovation work completed at the time.
Context from Previous Inquest Sessions
Last week's proceedings included testimony from Noah's friends and other witnesses who had seen the teenager cycling before his disappearance. One witness described seeing Noah cycling naked on Northwood Road, while another reported discovering his bicycle outside her residence.
The inquest continues as coroners piece together the final movements and circumstances surrounding the tragic death of the 14-year-old, whose loss has deeply affected the Belfast community and beyond.
