Friend Testifies He Had No Concerns About Noah Donohoe's Mental State
A close friend of Noah Donohoe has provided crucial testimony at the ongoing inquest into the tragic death of the Belfast schoolboy, stating he had no concerns whatsoever about Noah's mental health in the period leading up to his disappearance.
Evidence From Closest School Friend
Charlie Rocks, who described himself as Noah's "closest friend" during their time as pupils at St Malachy's College in Belfast, gave evidence to the coroner's court. The inquest, which is being heard with a jury, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the 14-year-old's disappearance and subsequent death.
Noah Donohoe was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he left his home on his bicycle to meet friends. He had been travelling to the Cavehill area of the city when he went missing.
Character and Interests Described
Mr Rocks painted a picture of Noah as a bright, sociable, and inquisitive teenager. "He was the nicest, friendliest person, funniest person," the witness told the hearing. "He was the smartest kid, he was always asking questions."
The friend emphasised Noah's widespread popularity within the school community, noting: "Noah was friendly with everyone in school. I joked with him that he knew everyone in school. He wasn't the type of person to be in the popular friend group, but he knew everyone."
No Interest in Storm Drains or Underground Spaces
In particularly significant testimony, Mr Rocks stated categorically that Noah had never demonstrated any interest in storm drains, tunnels, or being underground. "He never mentioned to me anything about storm drains or going underground or being in tunnels," the witness stated.
He elaborated further: "If he had have been interested in these things, he would have talked about them as he would always have spoken about things that he was interested in throughout lockdown."
Mental State Before Disappearance
When questioned by counsel to the coroner Peter Coll KC about whether he had any concerns about Noah's state of mind before he went missing, Mr Rocks was clear in his response. "Noah is very eccentric as a person, and I think some of the last conversations we had before he passed were certainly eccentric," he acknowledged.
However, he attributed this to "the transitional period he was going through" and added definitively: "But in terms of immediate concern, I had none at the time, and I even looking back on it now, I still don't."
Lockdown Period and Personal Development
The inquest was shown a series of social media messages exchanged between Noah, Mr Rocks, and another friend named Jay Tierney. Mr Rocks told the hearing that during the Covid lockdown period, Noah had become more open about discussing his emotions and mental health.
"He was starting to grow up and think more about his emotions. He was definitely changing, which was great," the friend testified. He revealed that Noah had asked him if he wanted to read the self-help book 12 Rules for Life by author Jordan Peterson, though Mr Rocks had declined the offer.
Additional Revelations
Under questioning from barrister for the PSNI Donal Lunny, Mr Rocks disclosed that he had been unaware that Noah had occasionally stayed overnight alone in his Belfast apartment. This revelation adds another dimension to the investigation into the teenager's activities before his disappearance.
Throughout his testimony, Mr Rocks maintained that Noah appeared "upbeat and was looking forward to ending lockdown" and noted that he had only mentioned once that he was "feeling blue." The inquest continues as investigators piece together the final days of the St Malachy's College pupil.
