Noah Donohoe inquest jury set to continue into fifth day of deliberations

The jury in a long-running inquest into the death of Belfast school boy Noah Donohoe is set to continue into its fifth day of deliberations.

The naked body of the 14-year-old was found in an underground water tunnel in the north of the city after having been missing for six days in June 2020.

A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of Noah’s death was drowning however mystery has remained over how he came to be in the tunnel with a campaign for answers by his mother Fiona attracting attention across the world.

Fiona Donohoe (left), the mother of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe, arriving at Belfast Coroner’s Court on Monday (Mark Marlow/PA)

PA Wire

As proceedings at Belfast Coroner’s Court resumed on Monday morning following an adjournment from early July, one of the jurors was dismissed.

Nine jurors, seven men and two women, remain to consider findings in the inquest.

Coroner Mr Justice Rooney issued his regular reminder to the jury to base their findings on the evidence they had heard in court as they resumed their discussions at around midday.

Later that afternoon it emerged that the jury had not yet reached an unanimous verdict.

They are set to resume discussions on Tuesday morning.

BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Noah Donohoe, 14, who was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he went missing (Family/PSNI/PA)

PA Media

The inquest started in January and has heard evidence from 76 witnesses and statements from a further 42 people, and involved maps, video footage, photographs, police logs and expert reports.

Ms Donohoe has been present for every day of the inquest.

Jurors have been tasked with agreeing findings on 10 questions, including the date of Noah’s death and whether any errors made by police contributed to his death.

Proceedings were adjourned at the start of July after jurors had deliberated for 24 hours over three days and were unable to reach an unanimous verdict.

Mr Justice Rooney took the decision following a late-night sitting that ran into the early hours of July 3 after it emerged that a number of members of the jury would not be available to continue the deliberations.

He described an “unprecedented” situation, adding they had “run out of time” and would resume later in the year when all of the jurors were available again.