A witness claimed police were “very dismissive” while the hearing was told evidence bags containing Noah’s clothes were not forensically sealed
A police officer who was one of the first to attend the area Noah Donohoe was last seen said he was “not aware at the time” it was a high risk missing persons case.
Noah, a pupil of St Malachy’s College, was 14 when he was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after leaving home on his bike to meet two friends in the Cavehill area of the city. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was drowning.
The inquest into his death resumed on Monday, February 16, with evidence from an eyewitness who saw the teen cycling naked, as well as a police officer who was one of the first to attend Northwood Road.
READ MORE: Noah Donohoe ‘missed’ in initial search of CCTV footage, inquest toldREAD MORE: Noah Donohoe inquest witnesses tell of screams and ‘white flash-by window’ on night of his disappearance
Constable Wilson was called from Tennent Street station to the report of Noah’s bike being found on the street at around 8pm and was questioned on his actions between arriving and handing over to officers from South Belfast.
He also recalled finding trainers and a jumper along the road, which he put into evidence bags and placed in the police car. The Constable said he wore gloves to pick up Noah’s jumper and shoes, and place them into evidence bags. However, these bags were not forensically sealed.
He said at that time, the priority was to “keep the items secure as the weather was changing.” The items were placed in two evidence bags, and into the boot of the PSNI control car.
When asked by counsel for Fiona Donohoe, Ms Campbell KC, why the evidence bags were not forensically secured, he said: “I was dealing with a misper [missing person] not knowing it was the level it was at – if items were covered in blood it would have changed circumstances, but they were not.”
Constable Wilson said he checked Control Works, the PSNI log, before attending the area but that it just gives the call number and brief details of the case.
“It wouldn’t have given me all the details – it’s what is typed on by the dispatcher or call handler,” he said.
Ms Campbell also questioned Constable Wilson about why he did not mention in his notebook or statement that he spoke to a homeowner on Northwood Road.
The officer was asked about his training, stating he left the police college in February 2020 after joining in 2019.
Constable Wilson was asked by Ms Campbell how they knew the clothing found on Northwood Road was Noah Donohoe’s, with the officer saying it was “obvious” he had been taking his clothing off while going up the road.
However, Ms Campbell highlighted that homeowner Ms Patterson said she saw Noah cycling naked – not that she witnessed him taking his clothes off.
Ms Campbell questioned why no mention of this was made in Constable Wilson’s notebook or statement. In response, he said they “couldn’t view CCTV [at Ms Patterson’s property] to clarify” the account. Ms Patterson told him police were welcome to call any time to get the footage.
Earlier in the day, the inquest heard from Conor McConnell, who was at his mother’s partner’s house on Northwood Road on Sunday, June 21. He said he thought it was a “prank” when he saw the schoolboy cycling naked on the day he disappeared.
His first statement, which was read to the jury, said: “While at the house, I was sat facing the living room window that looks out onto Northwood Road when I saw a male cycle past the window naked. I initially thought that this was a prank.”
He said he had gone outside and saw items of clothing on the street. Mr McConnell said he had later seen a dark car driving up the street and then saw two men talking at the top of the cul-de-sac. His statement said he concluded this had nothing to do with the naked cyclist.
The inquest heard that the witness had recently provided a second statement to the proceedings, after raising concerns about “inaccuracies” in his first statement.
The second statement said: “I told the police I had seen a nude male cycling up the street, and had observed his shoes neatly placed on the footpath and shorts and boxers looked like they had been stepped out of.
“These were also on the footpath, as were a T-shirt and hoodie, which I believed also belonged to the male.”
The audio of two phone calls, which police said the witness made to them on the Monday and Tuesday after Noah went missing were then played to the jury.
Mr McConnell told the inquest that he believed he had made three calls to the police, including two on the Sunday night. He said he had made the first call on the Sunday after seeing a Facebook post about a missing person which had been shared.
Counsel for the coroner Declan Quinn told the witness that the police position is that the first contact from him had been on the Monday night. Mr McConnell said he believed that the first of the two calls played to the jury was from the Sunday evening, not Monday.
Donal Lunny KC, barrister for the PSNI, said police had made “various searches” and were “satisfied” that Mr Connell had first contacted them on the Monday, and made a second contact on the Tuesday.
When the hearing resumed after lunch, Mr Lunny said: “I’m going to suggest to you, your first phone call was at 2312 on the Monday night, your second phone call is 2253 hours on the Tuesday.”
Mr McConnell said: “I disagree.” The witness was then questioned by Brenda Campbell KC, counsel for Ms Donohoe,
She said: “Have you come to court motivated by anything other than assisting the inquest?”
Mr McConnell said: “I don’t see the point in coming up here and lying about anything. I’m giving my honest memory.”
He said he was willing to allow his phone records to be examined. Ms Campbell said it was two years after Noah went missing before the police contacted Mr McConnell to make a statement.
The witness said the reason for this had been a “mystery” to him.
Ms Campbell said Mr McConnell had a “clear recollection” of seeing a social media post about Noah being missing, which prompted him to contact police. Mr McConnell said his recollection was that this had occurred on the Sunday night.
Ms Campbell then asked about a police log which stated that a constable had called Mr McConnell back after his initial contact. Mr McConnell said that he had no recollection of police calling him back.
He said: “Today is the first time it has been suggested to me that police called me back.”
Ms Campbell said: “When the police came to take a statement from you, nearly two years later, did they explain the delay?”
Mr McConnell said he had raised questions about the lack of response, but said police were “very dismissive”.
The inquest continues on Tuesday, February 17.
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