An ongoing inquest into the tragic death of 14-year-old schoolboy Noah Donohoe has heard compelling witness accounts detailing his final movements on the day he disappeared in Belfast. The hearing at Belfast Coroner's Court, now in its second week, has been presented with multiple testimonies from individuals who observed the teenager during his fateful journey on June 21, 2020.
Witness Describes Bicycle Fall Without Head Injury
Amanda Seenan provided crucial evidence about witnessing Noah fall from his bicycle on North Queen Street. In her police statement read to the court, Ms Seenan described driving with her baby daughter when she saw a male cyclist ahead of her. "He was just approaching the bus layby when he fell. The bike went with him when he fell," she recounted. Despite describing the tumble as "not light" and "pretty bad, not horrifically bad," she was adamant she did not see Noah suffer any head injury during the incident.
Ms Seenan told the hearing she slowed her vehicle to check on the cyclist and observed him quickly getting up and pedalling away, leaving a green coat on the road. When questioned by counsel to the coroner Peter Coll KC, she emphasised the fall was significant but clarified: "I didn't believe he had a head injury." This testimony became particularly significant when counsel for Noah's mother, Brenda Campbell KC, revealed that police press releases had suggested Noah may have suffered a head injury based on witness evidence.
Confusion Over Police Documentation
The inquest heard how Ms Seenan expressed confusion when shown a police document from the PSNI senior investigating officer stating the head injury theory was based on her evidence. "I definitely didn't say he had a head injury, because I know I didn't see him hit his head," she told the court. "So, I was very confused as to where that was coming from." She added that she felt "a bit miffed" that this had been reported when she had not provided such information to police.
Multiple Witnesses Observe Unusual Behaviour
Other witnesses described seeing Noah in various states of distress and undress during his final journey. Krzysztof Kozakiewicz told the court he saw a male standing on Northwood Road with no top on, though he admitted he didn't contact police at the time as he "just didn't think anything of it." He only connected his sighting to Noah's disappearance weeks later through Facebook posts.
Sinead Quinn testified that she saw a young male picking up a bicycle from the road at the junction of North Queen Street and Alexandra Park Avenue. "He picked the bike up off the ground, got onto it and began to cycle away towards the Shore Road away from city centre," she stated. When she beeped her horn to alert him that his jacket remained on the road, "He looked startled, he didn't lift the coat, but just cycled on, which I thought was strange."
Cyclist Appeared Unsteady on Journey
Nathan Montgomery provided detailed observations of Noah's cycling behaviour shortly after 6pm. He told the hearing he saw the same cyclist twice while travelling to collect takeaway food in north Belfast. "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 initially assumed the swaying indicated "lack of experience on a bicycle and nothing else," but acknowledged: "It did stick in my mind that he appeared unsteady." Mr Montgomery gave a statement to police after officers called at his home later that week seeking information about the missing schoolboy.
Further Evidence of Distressed State
The statement of witness Beryl Smyth was read to the court, describing how she saw a young cyclist pass her house at Northwood Crescent while she was reading. She observed the cyclist working at the straps of his helmet. When she left for church shortly afterwards, she noticed the helmet abandoned on the pavement beside a lamppost, and it remained there when she returned.
Noah Donohoe was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast six days after leaving home on his bicycle to meet friends in the Cavehill area. His mother Fiona Donohoe continues to seek answers about her son's death six years after the tragedy. The inquest continues to examine the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and subsequent discovery.
