BELFAST – The inquest into the death of Noah Donahoe has been adjourned after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict following three days of deliberation.
The proceedings at Belfast Coroner’s Court came to a halt at 12.45am after the jury had spent 25 hours reviewing evidence. The adjournment was triggered by the discovery that several jurors would be unable to reconvene the following day.
The case centers on the 2020 death of the 14-year-old schoolboy, whose body was discovered in an underground water tunnel in the north of the city after he had been missing for six days in June 2020.
Adjournment and Jury Deliberations
Coroner Mr Justice Rooney informed the jury of eight men and two women that the inquest would resume only when all 10 jurors are available.
He paid tribute to the dedication of the jurors, who have sat through weeks of complex medical and technical evidence, but acknowledged the timing of the deadlock.
He told the panel they had “run out of time” to reach a unanimous verdict, adding: “That is the problem.”
The jury has been formally cautioned that they remain in active deliberations despite the hiatus and must not discuss the case with anyone outside the court. Under the framework of the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959, the inquest cannot proceed in the absence of any juror once deliberations have begun.
The hearing is expected to resume later this year, potentially in August or September, subject to court scheduling and the availability of all jurors.
Scope of the Inquiry
The inquest, which began in January, is a fact-finding exercise intended to establish the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death rather than to attribute criminal or civil liability. A post-mortem examination had previously concluded that the cause of death was drowning.
Central to the proceedings has been scrutiny of the emergency response and police handling of Noah’s disappearance, amid sustained public interest in how the authorities conducted the search and subsequent investigation. Inquests of this kind play a key role in public accountability for sudden or unexplained deaths, particularly where state agencies are involved.
To reach their findings, the jury has processed a significant volume of evidence:
- Testimony from 76 witnesses, including police officers, medical experts, and members of the public
- Written statements from 42 individuals
- Police logs and expert reports
- Photographic evidence and video footage
- Detailed maps of the area
Noah’s mother, Fiona, has attended every day of the proceedings, becoming a constant presence in the courtroom as the family seeks answers about the final hours of her son’s life.
Key Findings Under Consideration
The jury is tasked with providing unanimous answers to 10 specific questions, which will be recorded as formal findings of fact. While the full list of questions was not detailed in open court, the core issues include:
- The precise date and time of Noah Donahoe’s death
- Whether any acts or omissions by police or other public authorities may have contributed to the death
Jurors have been directed to consider these questions only in light of the evidence presented during the inquest, including agreed expert opinion and contested witness testimony. Before they retired, Mr Justice Rooney reminded the panel that their findings must be based strictly on that evidence and must be agreed upon unanimously.
The outcome of the inquest is likely to inform any subsequent reviews of search protocols and inter-agency coordination in missing person cases in Northern Ireland, where best-practice guidance for policing and public protection is set out by the UK College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice on Missing Persons.
The inquest will remain adjourned until all 10 jurors are available to return to court, at which point they will either resume deliberations toward a unanimous conclusion or, if permitted by the court, be directed on possible alternative verdict options.
