Inquest Hears Police Theory Missing Belfast Boy May Have Sustained Head Injury
The ongoing inquest into the tragic death of Noah Donohoe has entered its fifth week at Belfast Coroner's Court, with a jury hearing detailed evidence about the police investigation. Detective Sergeant Gardner, who served as the CCTV coordinator in the case, revealed that detectives actively considered the possibility that the 14-year-old schoolboy might have suffered a head injury after falling from his bicycle.
Working Scenarios in High-Risk Missing Person Investigation
Noah Donohoe disappeared in north Belfast in June 2020, sparking an intensive high-risk missing person investigation. His naked body was discovered six days later in a storm drain tunnel, with a post-mortem examination concluding that drowning was the cause of death. Brenda Campbell KC, representing Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, emphasized to the court that Noah's behavior during his disappearance "cried out for an explanation."
Detective Sergeant Gardner explained that officers began their investigation from Northwood Road, the last confirmed sighting of Noah, and worked backwards to trace all available material. He recalled that at one stage, "it was a considered hypothesis that he had a head injury" following information that Noah had fallen from his bike. This theory formed part of several working scenarios examined by detectives trying to understand the circumstances leading to the boy's death.
Discrepancies in Possessions and Behavior
Ms Campbell highlighted numerous concerning factors about Noah's disappearance during her questioning of the officer. She noted that Noah had been seen with his laptop and backpack at one point but not at another, and that his phone was found in a separate location from where he was last seen. His coat appeared to have been discarded near where he fell from his bicycle but was never recovered.
"You also knew that from there he proceeded up Northwood Road and items of his clothing were found on Northwood Road, and you knew that he was last seen naked," Ms Campbell told the officer. "Not only did we need to find him because of that level of vulnerability that he was in, but what happened to him cried out for an explanation."
CCTV Investigation and Limited Hypotheses
The court heard extensive details about the CCTV investigation, with officers deployed to secure footage showing Noah's movements. Ms Campbell questioned the officer about the procedures for immediately trawling for footage, seizing key images promptly, ensuring timing accuracy, and integrating this material with other investigative lines.
Mr Gardner responded that officers should have "time-checked and seized" relevant footage, with the primary objective being to locate Noah. When asked about police hypotheses regarding Noah's unusual behavior on Northwood Road, the officer said he only recalled discussions about a potential head injury following the bicycle fall.
"I believe, after we had learned he had fallen off his bike, it was a considered hypothesis he had a head injury, but that was just because we had heard he had fallen off his bike," Mr Gardner testified. He added that he was unaware of any other specific hypotheses about Noah's behavior beyond general concerns about his mental wellbeing before leaving home.
Physical Evidence and Investigation Focus
The court heard that Noah's recovered helmet showed no damage, and there was no evidence of blood on his clothing. Mr Gardner emphasized that "the objective was primarily to find him (Noah)" and then determine how he became separated from his possessions including his coat, backpack, and phone.
Noah Donohoe was a pupil at St Malachy's College who had left home on his bicycle to meet friends in Belfast's Cavehill area before his disappearance. The inquest continues to examine the circumstances surrounding his death and the police response to his disappearance.
