Noah Donohoe Inquest: Key Testimonies on Missing Items and Rumours

The inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe, the 14-year-old St Malachy’s College pupil whose body was found in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, has heard significant testimony regarding the handling of his personal belongings and the origins of unverified claims about his death. Proceedings, now in their 12th week, continue to examine the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death.

Testimony on Stolen Belongings

Daryl Paul, who previously pleaded guilty to stealing Noah’s rucksack containing a laptop and schoolbooks, told the inquest that claims he too took the boy’s coat were “ridiculous.” In a statement read at Belfast Coroner’s Court, Paul said he was upset by “untrue” rumours linking him to the coat and stated that his family had received threats as a result. He also questioned whether authorities had gathered sufficient CCTV evidence from a nearby university on the day Noah went missing, suggesting it could have helped clarify his involvement.

Paul stated that on June 24, 2020, he told Maria Nolan that he had a laptop he could sell at Cash Converters to raise money for drugs. Nolan confirmed that the laptop belonged to Noah and was among several items reported missing, including his backpack and coat. She said she did not grasp about Noah’s disappearance at the time and believed the laptop was Paul’s property.

Woman Recants Drug Injection Rumour

Maria Nolan, who was convicted in 2022 of handling stolen goods after attempting to pawn Noah’s laptop, told the inquest that she had previously informed police she had heard a rumour that Noah had been injected with heroin or naloxone before his death. She later stated this was merely a “rumour” and that she had no information about how he disappeared or what happened to him.

Nolan, a recovering drug addict, said she was staying at a hostel near Noah’s home in south Belfast at the time of his disappearance but had no knowledge of the events leading to his death. She expressed hope that Noah’s mother, Fiona Donohoe, would obtain answers through the inquest process.

The inquest has previously heard that post-mortem examinations found no toxicological evidence that Noah was under the influence of drugs at the time of his death, although absolute certainty could not be stated. No evidence has emerged to support claims that he was injected with drugs prior to his disappearance.

Background on the Case

Noah Donohoe was 14 when he left his home on his bicycle on June 21, 2020, to meet two friends in the Cavehill area of Belfast. He was reported missing when he failed to return. His naked body was discovered six days later, on June 27, 2020, in a storm drain tunnel in Seaview Park, north Belfast. A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was drowning.

The inquest, presided over by a jury at Belfast Coroner’s Court, continues to examine witness testimony, police investigations, and the handling of evidence related to the case.