Officer attending Noah Donohoe disappearance saw no sign of a crime

One of the first police officers to arrive at the scene of Noah Donohoe's disappearance has told an inquest that he did not see any sign of a crime.

The inquest into the schoolboy's death has heard evidence about the first time the police saw the boy's discarded bicycle and other items including some clothing, his runners, and a helmet he was wearing.

The body of the 14-year-old was found inside a water drainage network in north Belfast on 27 June 2020, six days after he went missing.

The inquest was told that officers responded to a report from a resident in Northwood Road in North Belfast that a bicycle matching a description of the missing boy's bicycle was along the street outside her home.

Internal police emails shown to the inquest included photographs of the bicycle and the helmet the schoolboy had been wearing when he disappeared.

The bicycle was placed against a red brick garden wall and boy's helmet and some of his clothing and trainers were found further along the street.

Constable Wilson, who was one of the first two officers to arrive at the scene, explained that they spoke to residents who told them they had observed "a black male child naked".

He explained that the information about the discovery of the bicycle was conveyed to Noah's mother, Fiona Donohoe, and it was confirmed that it belonged to her missing son.

Constable Wilson was questioned about why he made no reference to a "high risk" missing child being naked in his notes at the scene.

He explained that he conveyed the information to colleagues at the scene and in a handover.

When he was asked if there was any sign of damage when he recovered the clothing, he responded: "There was nothing to show any damage to clothing" and "no blood around them".

Asked if there was any sign of a crime at the scene, he said: "There was nothing".

Another witness has told the inquest about his shock at seeing the schoolboy cycling naked along a street on the day of his disappearance.

Conor McConnell told the inquest that he was at his mother's house at Northwood Road when he observed the schoolboy from inside the house and remarked to his mother: "Did you see that?"

The witness said he subsequently went outside and noticed the boy's bike and clothing, including underwear, at different locations along the street.

He explained that his observation of Noah happened in "a flash" and lasted "about a second of two".

He described the sighting as "odd", saying it left himself and his mother "shocked".

In an audio recording of a phone call to the police, he told police he "saw someone cycling past nude".

The witness was questioned extensively about the timing of his calls to the police about what he observed on the day.

McConnell told the inquest that he contacted the police twice about the sighting on the night of Noah's disappearance.

However, it was pointed out that there are no records in the police system of any calls from the witness until the following night.

He also explained that he contacted the police on the Sunday night after seeing a Facebook post from a "colleague" with a photograph of Noah.

However, it was explained to the witness that the PSNI had not published details about Noah's disappearance until after the time he claims to have called the police.

It was also pointed out to the witness that the schoolboy's mother had only ended a 999 call minutes before he claims to have called the police for the first time in response to the missing person case.

The witness insisted that he did make the calls to the police on the Sunday evening.

He said: "I don't see the point in coming up here and lying".

Referring to Noah Donohoe's family, he added: "I just want to help them get answers."

The inquest also heard that police did not seek a statement from the witness until two years after his calls about what he observed on the day Noah disappeared.

In response to questions from the coroner the witness handed over a written note containing the name of the "colleague" whose Facebook post, he said, prompted him to ring the police.

He also agreed to try to contact the person and explained that he will have to do so through social media.

The witness also agreed to check back on his own Facebook account to try to find the relevant post and to ask the person who, he says, posted the message to do likewise.

He also said he has no objection to the coroners' legal team trying to check his telephone records from the time, saying: "I'd welcome it."

The inquest has previously heard evidence from the mother of the witness.

The inquest continues.