Inquest Hears Detailed Witness Accounts of Noah Donohoe's Bicycle Fall
The inquest into the tragic death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has heard compelling witness evidence describing the moment the schoolboy fell from his bicycle on the evening he went missing in north Belfast. Noah was found deceased in a storm drain six days after leaving his home on his bike in June 2020, with the hearing now examining the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Eyewitness Descriptions of the Incident
Amanda Seenan's police statement, read to Belfast Coroner's Court, provided a detailed account of observing a male cyclist on North Queen Street. "He was just approaching the bus layby when he fell," she stated, noting that "the bike went with him when he fell." Ms Seenan described how she slowed her vehicle to check on the individual, witnessing him quickly rise and pedal away, leaving a green coat on the roadway.
When questioned by counsel to the coroner Peter Coll KC, Ms Seenan emphasised the severity of the fall, stating it "wasn't a wee fall" and that "he did go forward." She observed Noah brushing his knee before cycling onward but noted no apparent injuries from her vantage point.
Additional Witness Observations
Sinead Quinn testified that she contacted police after seeing a youth at the junction of North Queen Street and Alexandra Park Avenue. Her statement described observing a young male retrieving his bicycle from the ground, though she did not witness the actual fall. "He picked the bike up off the ground, got onto it and began to cycle away," she recounted.
Ms Quinn detailed how she sounded her car horn to alert the cyclist about his abandoned jacket, noting his reaction. "He looked startled, he didn't lift the coat, but just cycled on, which I thought was strange," she told the court. The witness confirmed she later contacted authorities after recognising Noah from a missing person appeal on social media.
Further Testimony About Noah's Movements
Nathan Montgomery provided additional context, describing seeing a young cyclist while travelling to collect takeaway food in north Belfast shortly after 6pm. Upon returning along North Queen Street, he observed the same individual exhibiting unusual cycling behaviour.
"I slowed down to his speed as he appeared to sway out from the pavement toward the middle of the lane and back in a couple of times," Mr Montgomery testified. "This did not appear exaggerated, only slight, it was enough to make me wary of passing the cyclist." He assumed the unsteadiness resulted from inexperience rather than any underlying issue.
Legal Proceedings and Family Representation
Brenda Campbell KC, representing Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, highlighted that Ms Quinn had been the first eyewitness to contact police regarding the North Queen Street incident. During questioning, Ms Quinn confirmed she did not observe Noah sustain any physical injury and could not definitively explain his startled reaction to her car horn.
The witness clarified her previous statements to authorities, noting "All I could tell for certain was that he was picking up his bike...I don't think I would have said he had sustained a head injury." The inquest continues to examine the sequence of events leading to Noah's tragic death, with multiple witness accounts now providing crucial details about his final known movements.
