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The coroner also said the progress of the inquest was “moving, maybe, not as quickly as I would have hoped”
Fiona Donohoe, the mother of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe, and solicitor Niall Murphy (right) arrive at Belfast Coroner’s Court(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
6 key points after week six of inquest into death of Noah Donohoe
- A police search adviser believed there was a 5% possibility that Noah Donohoe was in the culvert in which his body was eventually found, the inquest heard this past week. Sergeant Hutchings, who was the lead Polsa (police search adviser) in the search for the 14-year-old in 2020, said there had been no evidence to suggest the schoolboy had entered the underground water tunnel.
- A jury cannot be reassured by a police officer’s claim that nothing could have been done differently in the search for Noah, a barrister for his mother Fiona told the inquest. Brenda Campbell KC challenged an account given by Sergeant Hutchings that the teenager could not have been found any sooner.
- Police investigated the possibility of the involvement of known sex offenders when Noah was not found quickly after his disappearance. A police officer also told Belfast Coroner’s Court he believes Noah’s body would never have been found if he had not decided to start a search of underground water tunnels in 2020.
- The body of Noah was found in a water tunnel as “quickly and safely” as was possible, a police officer told an inquest. The PSNI sergeant also told Belfast Coroner’s Court how he decided to carry out a search of a storm drain after discovering a cover on it could be opened.
- A witness said that there was “complete and utter darkness” in the tunnel system where the schoolboy’s body was found. Owen McGivern, an official from the Department for Infrastructure Rivers, was also questioned at Belfast Coroner’s Court about access to the culvert system from the rear of houses in a north Belfast estate.
- The coroner Mr Justice Rooney also told the jury this week that he would update them on the progress of the inquest, which he said was “moving, maybe, not as quickly as I would have hoped”
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