Inquest Hears Noah Donohoe Looked 'Startled' After Bike Fall Before Disappearance
A motorist has told an inquest that 14-year-old Noah Donohoe appeared "startled" in the moments after he fell from his bicycle on the evening he went missing in Belfast. The testimony was heard during proceedings investigating the tragic death of the teenager, whose body was discovered in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020.
Witness Account of the Incident
Sinead Quinn provided a witness statement to the inquest, detailing that she was driving at the junction of North Queen Street and Alexandra Park Avenue on June 21, 2020. She had just left Asda after shopping for a Father's Day present shortly after 6pm when she observed a young male picking up a bicycle from the road, though she did not witness the fall itself.
Ms Quinn described seeing the youth, believed to be Noah, get onto the bike and begin cycling away towards the shore road, away from the city centre. She then noticed his jacket remained on the road and beeped her horn to alert him. In response, she stated, "He looked startled, he didn't lift the coat, but just cycled on, which I thought was strange."
Police Contact and Identification
The following day, after seeing a Facebook post about Noah being missing, Ms Quinn contacted the police because she believed the youth she had seen was the same person. She was later shown CCTV footage that is believed to depict Noah falling off his bike. Counsel for Fiona Donohoe, Noah's mother, Brenda Campbell KC, noted that Ms Quinn was the first eyewitness to the incident at North Queen Street to come forward to authorities.
During questioning, Ms Quinn confirmed to Ms Campbell that she did not see Noah suffer any physical injury from the fall. She also told the court she could not be certain why Noah had looked startled when she sounded her horn. When asked if she had informed police that she believed Noah had sustained a head injury, Ms Quinn responded, "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."
Background of the Case
Noah Donohoe was 14 years old when he was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020. This occurred six days after he had left his home on his bicycle to meet two friends with the intention of travelling to the Cavehill area of Belfast. The inquest continues to examine the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death, with witness testimonies like Ms Quinn's providing crucial insights into his final known movements.
