Noah Donohoe Inquest: Police Deny Losing Teenager’s Clothing

An inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has heard testimony from a PSNI officer who refuted claims that items of the teenager’s clothing were lost after being recovered following his disappearance in June 2020. The proceedings are currently in their fourth week at Belfast Coroner’s Court.

Clothing Recovery and Handling

The PSNI constable, giving evidence on Monday, February 16, 2026, denied that a less rigorous investigative approach was taken due to the case initially being treated as a missing person inquiry. He detailed finding Noah’s bicycle on Northwood Road, a cul-de-sac, after being tasked to investigate a report on the evening of June 22, 2020, the day after Noah went missing.

The officer stated he discovered a black mountain bike propped against a wall, along with a blue hooded jumper, a pair of blue Nike trainers, and a black skateboard helmet at various points along the street. He secured the clothing in evidence bags, noting he did not seal them, anticipating a potential need for a dog unit to assist with the search.

Photographs of the bicycle and helmet were emailed to a colleague in an attempt to confirm they belonged to Noah. The officer also mentioned a check for CCTV footage was conducted, but a homeowner was unable to review their camera system at the time, and a follow-up visit was planned.

Witness Testimony: Initial Observations

A witness, Connor McConnell, testified that he initially believed he was witnessing a “prank” when he saw Noah cycling naked on Northwood Road on June 21, 2020. McConnell reported observing items of clothing, including shoes, shorts, boxers, a T-shirt, and a hoodie, neatly placed on the footpath.

Audio recordings of two phone calls McConnell made to the police on the Monday and Tuesday following Noah’s disappearance were played to the jury. McConnell indicated he believed he had made three calls to the police, including two on the Sunday night.

Background of the Case

Noah Donohoe was found dead six days after he went missing, hundreds of metres inside a storm drain in north Belfast. A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as drowning. Prior to his disappearance, Noah had told his mother, Fiona, he was going to meet friends at Cave Hill, but the meet-up was cancelled, a message he did not receive. On the evening of June 21, 2020, Noah was seen by several people cycling across the city, discarding possessions, including a laptop and eventually all his clothing.

The inquest continues.