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THE inquest into the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe will begin in January, Coroner Mr Justice Rooney has confirmed.
Noah went missing on June 21, 2020. His body was found six days later, on June 27, in a storm drain in north Belfast. A post-mortem examination concluded that he had died from drowning.
The inquest, which will be heard before a jury, has faced multiple delays. It was originally expected to take place in November but was recently postponed until 2026.
The latest in a long series of preliminary hearings was held on Monday at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.
During the hearing, concerns were raised with counsel for the coroner about social media posts discussing the circumstances of the teenager’s death. Mr Justice Rooney warned that individuals sharing such material could be found in contempt of court.
Last week, CCTV footage was released showing 14-year-old Noah leaving his home in the early hours of the morning and later returning barefoot and without his headphones on the day he disappeared.
The footage shows Noah walking along the Ormeau Road area towards Queen’s University, before being seen later on Fitzroy Avenue heading back in the direction of his home.
Following the release, Noah’s mother, Fiona Donohoe, questioned why the footage had not been made public sooner.
In a social media post, she wrote, “As you can imagine, this is beyond difficult, but it needs to be shared.
Why was it not released the week Noah went missing? Let’s not forget, the existence of this CCTV footage was leaked on Twitter.”
Mr Justice Rooney has appealed for anyone with information about Noah’s movements or belongings on the day he went missing to come forward.
