Police investigating ‘health and safety issues’ over Noah Donohoe death, inquest is told

The body of Noah Donohoe, 14, was recovered near the M2 motorway in June, six days after he went missing in the north of the city.

A coroner’s representative told the brief review hearing that footage surrounding his disappearance had been reviewed.

Barrister Declan Quinn said: “The police file in respect of this matter is almost complete.

“We have received a number of handwritten statements and materials.

“There are also a number of evidential lines of inquiry which appear to arise from the material we have received to date.”

He added: “The police are investigating health and safety issues that may arise in this inquest.

“The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have been actively engaging with the Department for Infrastructure.”

Plans to hold the full inquest in January should be postponed and another review hearing scheduled instead, due to the nature of preliminary matters arising, family lawyer Niall Murphy said.

He added: “Clearly there are outstanding matters to be addressed and the court may have a better idea at that stage, both in respect of disclosure and the ongoing inquiries with respect to health and safety issues, as to whether they may impact on progress.”

He added Noah’s mother Fiona was composing “the most traumatic and emotional statement she will ever attempt” to aid coroner Joe McCrisken’s fact-finding process.

Niall Murphy said his client wanted to create a foundation in memory of her son.

“Ms Donohoe is eternally grateful and touched by the support that she has received with regards to the awful circumstances she has had to confront.

“It is her intention to incept a Noah Donohoe foundation, the aims and objectives of which will be publicised at a later date.

“It is her intention to memorialise and to keep in public memory the legacy of her beautiful son Noah, and it is considered that a foundation that will speak to his principles as a young person, that might inspire other young people of his age, that that foundation will be incepted, hopefully in the coming weeks.”