Noah’s mum: help us fill in missing minutes
Fiona Donohoe issues plea as coroner sets ‘facts against fiction’
THE mother of tragic schoolboy Noah Donohoe ( left)
“hopes and prays” that gaps in the timeline around his disappearance will be revealed.
A family solicitor told a coroner’s court yesterday that “a vacuum” exists from just after 6pm on June 21 — the day Noah went missing in North Belfast — and his mum Fiona (left) desperately needs answers. Coroner Joe Mccrisken also said there is “no evidence” to indicate that anyone else was involved in the 14-year-old’s death.
THE mother of Noah Donohoe “hopes and prays” that the mystery of the missing minutes around the time the tragic schoolboy disappeared will be revealed, a coroner’s court has heard.
Coroner Joe Mccrisken said there is “no evidence” to indicate that anyone else was involved in the death of the 14-year-old.
At a second preliminary inquest in relation to Noah’s death, Mr Mccrisken said he had asked the Attorney General to probe recent “baseless and inaccurate” posts on the tragedy, warning it may result in legal action.
Outlining more details around the case yesterday, he said it was time to set “fact against fiction”.
The 14-year-old was found dead in a storm drain near the M2 motorway in June, six days after he went missing in north Belfast. A post-mortem examination found that Noah died as a result of drowning.
Police believe he entered the drain in the Northwood Road area. He had cycled there from his home in south Belfast and, shortly before he went missing, was seen with no clothes on. Prior to that he was spotted falling off his bike on the Shore Road.
His disappearance prompted a major search operation.
Noah’s mother Fiona and aunt Niamh attended the hearing at Belfast Coroner’s Court, where the family’s legal representative, lawyer Niall Murphy, also addressed proceedings.
He said “a vacuum” exists from just after 6pm on June 21 — the day Noah went missing — and his family are hoping for answers. It includes missing parts of a compilation of CCTV footage of Noah’s last movements.
At an initial hearing last month, the coroner had demanded an end to the “baseless and inaccurate” and potentially criminal speculation about Noah’s death.
Yesterday he expressed regret that “some individuals have chosen not to respect my request and the request of the family and rumours, speculation and conspiracy theories continue to be circulated”.
“I have asked the Attorney General to investigate those publications which I consider may breach the Contempt of Court Act, with a view of the Attorney General taking legal action,” he said.
“Today, in conjunction with the police and my counsel, I am providing some details which will dispel the many baseless and inaccurate rumours which continue to circulate. Today I will set fact against fiction.”
The coroner said police have compiled video footage which covers Noah’s journey from his home off the Ormeau Road to Northwood Road.
He posited that Noah entered the storm drain by “lifting a metal drain cover, which at that time was not secured”.
“I have examined the drain cover, as have police officers, and it seems entirely possible for Noah to have been able to lift that cover and enter the drain system at that location,” Mr McCrisken explained.
The coroner described the drain as running underground from Northwood Road to Shore
Road to Seaview, under an access road at a Translink cleaning facility, continuing under the M2 motorway before discharging close to Duncrue Road.
“Noah’s body was found by specially trained police officers between two drain access points within a section of the tunnel running under the Translink access road,” Mr Mccrisken added.
“The environment within the drain system can be described as challenging, with the drain system backfilling with water during intervals between low and high tides.
“I consider that, based upon all of the evidence before me at this stage, and the evidence includes extensive CCTV footage and witness statements, that Noah acted alone when he travelled to Northwood Road and entered the drain system.
“Investigations, however, are ongoing and I have reassured the family this morning that further evidence will be assessed as it is received.
“But that is my preliminary view based upon the evidence that is before me presently.”
He stressed that at present there is “no evidence” linking Noah’s death to the death of any other individual or with “an attack on any other individual or individuals in that area or in close proximity to Northwood Road”.
“There is no evidence at present to suggest that any other person was involved in Noah’s disappearance and death,” continued Mr Mccrisken.
He added that the police team charged with investigating Noah’s death continue to gather evidence, and he is awaiting the full post-mortem examination report and findings, along with further forensic evidence.
Mr Murphy, the solicitor, said Ms Donohoe had watched the compilation of nine minutes of CCTV footage of her son’s last movements.
“While this nine minutes represented the most harrowing experience of Fiona Donohoe’s life, to view the last recorded moments of Noah, she is appreciative of having had the opportunity to do so,” he said.
He added that Ms Donohoe wishes to express gratitude to businesses, public authorities and residents who volunteered the footage.
“Fiona acknowledges that the compilation is not a constant continuous video track of Noah’s movements and notes that there are blind spots in the journey, particularly, and perhaps most relevant, the sensitive part of the journey from Skegoneill Avenue to his final sighted destination,” he said.
“Fiona accepts and respects that this is an ongoing investigation and she hopes and prays that the vacuum that currently exists from 1801 onwards will be filled.
“And again she appeals to the residents to exhaust their memories and CCTV if any is still held to help complete the evidential picture.”
He also explained that contrary to a recent media report, which put the final CCTV sighting of Noah at 6.11pm on the day of his disappearance, police understand following clarification, that the correct time is 6.03pm.
“Fiona appreciates these timings will be evidentiary verified at the full inquest,” he added.
Ms Donohoe has launched an awareness campaign in her quest to get answers around what happened to her son, which was supported by several councils, including Belfast, which lit up city hall in blue in honour of the teenager’s memory.
Mr Murphy revealed that she is also to present at some point in the future an “enduring and fitting legacy to her beautiful son”. A further preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 2 and a full inquest is due to be heard on January 18 next year.
❝ There is no evidence at present to suggest that any other person was involved in disappearance and death