The mother of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe has said her son was “failed” after an inquest into his death found a Stormont department “erred” in its management of a tunnel entrance close to where he was last seen alive.
Noah (14) was found dead in north Belfast in June 2020. He had left home six days earlier to meet friends, with his disappearance sparking a major search operation.
On Tuesday, jurors at the long-running inquest at Belfast Coroner’s Court found there were no warning signs around the entrance to culvert entrance to the tunnel, which was managed by Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure (DfI).
Following the verdict, Stormont Minister for Infrastructure Liz Kimmins said she accepted the findings.
In a statement, read by Fiona Donohoe’s solicitor, Niall Murphy, outside Laganside court complex, Noah’s mother said she had left the inquest with a “clear answer”.
“I came to this inquest seeking answers and I leave it with one clear answer – Noah was failed,” it said.
“He was failed by the Department for Infrastructure, who left a deadly storm drain unsecured and accessible to children.
“He was failed by the PSNI who, from the moment I reported him missing, repeatedly failed to investigate and from the moment he was found, stopped looking for answers.”
Police errors did not contribute to his death, the jury found.
Fiona Donohoe, the mother of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe, outside Belfast Coroner’s Court Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
However, jurors identified 13 failings by the PSNI in its handling of the investigation which impacted on their ability to reach conclusions.
In a statement, Kimmins said her thoughts “are with Noah’s mother Fiona and her family”.
“As a mother myself, I can’t imagine the pain that Fiona and her family must feel everyday since the loss of her beautiful boy,” she said.
“I unreservedly accept the findings of the inquest.
“As Minister, I will make sure the department does everything it needs to ensure all lessons are learned.”
Assistant Chief Constable for the PSNI Davy Beck said that he wished to acknowledge the “profound impact” that the death of Noah has had on his family and friends.
“Noah was a child with his whole life ahead of him. His death is a tragedy, and our thoughts remain firmly with his family and those who loved him,” he said.
He said that the PSNI noted the jury’s findings and it was important to reflect on any learnings.
Fiona Donohoe described Noah, who was her only child, as “my greatest gift in life”.
“I miss him every minute of every day. He should still be here with me, following his dreams and planning for the future.”
While the jury found it was not “probable” that failings by the department contributed to Noah’s death, they did agree that it was “possible”.
The ruling followed five days of deliberations.
The medical cause of death was drowning, jurors agreed.
A decision by the Stormont department to install a debris screen in 2017 meant “as a consequence” he was able to enter the culvert via the screen, they found.
“[The department] erred in not identifying the area around the entrance as a location the public could possibly access”, the foreman of the jury told the court.
Jurors identified a litany of police failings, which the foreman read to the court.
This included the PSNI’s failure to review contemporaneous CCTV footage; failure to follow up all investigative opportunities; and CCTV strategy and execution “not rigorously applied”.
This included the PSNI’s failure to review contemporaneous CCTV footage; failure to follow up all investigative opportunities; and CCTV strategy and execution “not rigorously applied”.
Fiona Donohoe (right) the mother of Noah Donohoe, arriving at Belfast Coroner’s Court with her legal team on Tuesday. Photograph: Rebecca Black/PA Wire
The jury also found relevant statements had not been taken by police in a reasonable time frame.
There were delays in identifying the culvert as a place to search, the jury found.
They also found failings in the speed of that search. In total, 10 questions had been presented to jurors on which they were asked to reach a unanimous verdict.
Speaking after the verdict, Assistant Chief Constable Beck said that “officers were determined in their efforts to locate Noah and bring him home”.
“Sadly, there was no action that police could have taken, that would have prevented Noah’s death.
“We continue to keep his loved ones in our thoughts and recognise the suffering they endure,” he said.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said the PSNI noted the jury’s findings and it was important to reflect on any learnings. Photo: David Young/PA Wire
Fiona Donohoe has led a high-profile campaign for answers backed by supporters calling themselves Noah’s Army.
She has attended each day of the inquest.
She sat at the back of the court, accompanied by her sister, and wiped tears from her eyes as the jury foreman delivered the findings.
The public gallery of court 13 at Laganside court complex was filled with supporters, some of whom wore the Noah’s Army navy and white sweaters.
Noah, a student at St Malachy’s College, had cycled across the city from his home in south Belfast to the Northwood Road area of north Belfast on Sunday, June 21st, 2020. He abandoned his bicycle on a pavement at Northwood Road close to waste ground where a culvert entrance to an underground water system is located.
Podcast: What happened to Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe?
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker.
His body was found more than 600m downstream in the tunnel. He had previously been seen falling off his bicycle, as well as discarding his clothes and cycling naked.
The jury was also asked to explain why Noah “behaved as he did” after he left the apartment he shared with his mother at 5.40pm.
The foreman of the jury replied on Tuesday: “No, the evidence is insufficient to enable us to reach a conclusion.”
The jury found that Noah died between 7pm and midnight on Sunday, 21st June.
The inquest has heard evidence from 76 witnesses, statements from a further 42 people, as well as maps, video footage, photographs, police logs and expert reports.
In June, coroner Kevin Rooney directed jurors to rule out certain outcomes due to insufficient evidence.
Significantly, the jury could not find Noah was assaulted after he went missing or that there was any third-party involvement; they were also not permitted to find he was a victim of child exploitation.
Rooney also said the jury was not permitted to find he was under the influence of drugs, going through a psychotic episode or that he had taken his own life.