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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Rebecca Black

Jury deliberations in Noah Donohoe inquest to extend into second day

Fiona Donohoe, the mother of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe, speaks with her legal team as they leave Belfast Coroner’s Court, where the inquest into the death of her son, who was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he went missing while cycling to meet friends, is taking place. Picture date: Monday June 29, 2026. - (PA Wire)

Jury deliberations in the inquest into the death of Belfast school boy Noah Donohoe are to go into a second day.

The 14-year-old was found naked in a storm drain in the city in June 2020 after being missing for six days.

The jury of eight men and two women has been tasked with unanimously agreeing responses to 10 questions, including the date of Noah’s death and whether any errors made by police contributed to his death.

It comes after almost six months of evidence at Belfast Coroner’s Court involving 76 witnesses, statements from a further 42 people, maps, video footage, photographs, police logs and expert reports.

Noah Donohoe died aged just 14 (family handout/PA) (PA Media)
Noah Donohoe died aged just 14 (family handout/PA) (PA Media)

Noah, a pupil at St Malachy’s College, was found in the storm drain tunnel in north Belfast six days after he left home on his bike to meet two friends in the Cavehill area of the city.

CCTV evidence and witnesses show Noah took a detour from his planned route, cycling instead along York Road and ending up on Northwood Road, where it is suggested he entered the tunnel via a culvert behind a house.

The inquest was shown CCTV of Noah cycling naked along Northwood Road, and evidence that some residents heard noises, including screams, on the night of June 21 when he went missing.

Noah’s mother Fiona Donohoe, centre, has attended the inquest (PA) (PA Wire)
Noah’s mother Fiona Donohoe, centre, has attended the inquest (PA) (PA Wire)

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was drowning.

The jury is charged with reaching findings, including how Noah came by his death.

Coroner Mr Justice Rooney took two days to read his charge to the jury, which numbered more than 70,000 words.

He told the jury it “must decide the case solely on the evidence you have seen and heard in this court, rather than guesswork or any rumours you may have heard”.

He added jurors are “under no pressure of time”, “you must take as long as you need to discuss the issue”.

On Tuesday, the jury deliberated for around five hours and 15 minutes.

They are due to return to Belfast Coroners Court at 9.30am on Wednesday morning to resume discussions.

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