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Noah Donohoe: Inquest into death of Belfast schoolboy identifies police failures

The jury said the Department for Infrastructure failed to spot a public hazard at the culvert and listed 13 police investigation failings.

  • On Tuesday, a Belfast inquest jury found that Stormont's Department for Infrastructure "erred" in managing a culvert, possibly contributing to 14-year-old Noah Donohoe's 2020 death, while concluding no police failings contributed to his drowning.
  • Jurors determined Noah died between 7pm and midnight on June 21, 2020, after accessing a tunnel via a debris screen; DfI's failure to identify the site as publicly accessible meant no warning signs were erected.
  • While ruling out police contribution to death, jurors identified 13 investigative errors by the Police Service of Northern Ireland , including failures to secure CCTV from 65 Fitzroy Avenue and 85 Northwood Road.
  • Fiona Donohoe, whose campaign mobilized supporters under the name "Noah's Army," attended every day of the inquest, though Sean McCarry of the Community Rescue Service said the process "does not bring Fiona's search to an end."
  • Despite the verdict, jurors stated there was "insufficient evidence" to explain Noah's behavior after he left home, an admission of uncertainty that leaves persistent gaps in the timeline of his final hours.
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Management of culvert access possible factor in Noah Donohoe death, jury finds

The schoolboy was found dead in the north Belfast culvert after going missing in June 2020.

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Irish Times broke the news in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
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