A crucial witness has provided testimony at the ongoing inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe, revealing she discovered the schoolboy's bicycle on the very evening he vanished in June 2020. Karen Crooks, a resident of Northwood Road in Belfast, told Belfast Coroner's Court that she found the mountain bike near her car, a discovery that would later become pivotal to the investigation.
Discovery of the Bicycle
Ms Crooks stated in her witness testimony that on the evening of Sunday, 21 June 2020, she noticed a bicycle close to her vehicle. Approximately one hour later, she lifted the mountain bike and propped it up against a wall. The bicycle remained in that position the following night, she confirmed to the jury.
It was only after seeing a social media post concerning Noah's disappearance that Ms Crooks realised the description matched the bike in her driveway. "I realised the bike described matched the bike in my driveway," she told the court, prompting her to contact the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Access to the Culvert Area
The inquest, now in its second week, also focused intently on questions regarding access to a storm drain, or culvert, located on wasteland at the rear of Ms Crooks's property. Under questioning from Nessa Murnaghan, barrister for the Department for Infrastructure, Ms Crooks explained that the area containing the culvert could be accessed through a side gate on her property.
Ms Murnaghan noted that a 1.8-metre metal fence surrounded the park area where the storm drain was situated. She suggested the only alternative means of entry would involve trespassing through Ms Crooks's property or that of a neighbour.
Safety Concerns and Awareness
A significant line of questioning centred on whether Ms Crooks had been aware of the potential dangers posed by the culvert before Noah's tragic death. The 14-year-old was found deceased in the storm drain in north Belfast six days after he went missing.
Ms Crooks testified that she had never been made aware of any risks to children associated with the drain prior to the incident. She participated in community searches after Noah's disappearance but stated she did not search the culvert itself.
When shown a photograph of the culvert entrance, which featured metal bars described as a "debris screen," Ms Crooks revealed her five-year-old son had been able to fit through the bars but had not entered the tunnel. Asked if she believed it was important for the culvert hatch to remain unlocked in case a child was swept inside, she responded, "That is not something I would ever have thought about."
Police Inquiries and Gate Status
Barrister for the PSNI, Donal Lunny, informed the witness that her call to police was the first that brought officers into the Northwood Road area, leading to inquiries that captured the last known sighting of Noah.
Mr Lunny questioned Ms Crooks about whether the gate to the side of her property and her garden gate were open or shut on the evening Noah went missing. She said she could not be entirely certain but noted the gate was typically kept shut as she had two dogs that might wander. When asked if Noah would likely have had to open the gates to come up her driveway, Ms Crooks agreed.
Calls for Greater Safety Measures
Brenda Campbell KC, counsel for Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, pursued the theme of safety awareness. She asked if it had ever been brought to Ms Crooks's attention that children needed to exercise caution around the storm drain. "This had never happened," Ms Crooks affirmed, adding she was also unaware the culvert hatch lacked a padlock before Noah's disappearance.
Ms Campbell highlighted that the dangers of the structure were only drawn to the witness's attention after Noah vanished and searches commenced. Ms Crooks replied, "100%, yes." The barrister noted that Ms Crooks had subsequently called publicly for greater safety measures around culverts in residential areas.
When asked if the Department for Infrastructure had sought her opinion on what constitutes a safe environment for children in Northwood Road, Ms Crooks gave a firm response: "They have never contacted me or come near me to make me aware that this is not a safe area for children to be around, or to keep my children away from it."
The testimony underscores ongoing questions about local infrastructure safety and the sequence of events during the search for Noah Donohoe, whose death continues to be examined in detail by the coroner's court.
