Noah Donohoe inquest RECAP as witness says she heard two screams on night teen went missing
The following night she became aware of a missing child and contacted police to tell them what she had heard
A witness has told the inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe she heard two screams on the night the schoolboy went missing.
The 14-year-old 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.
A post-mortem examination found his death was due to drowning. The inquest into his death, which is being heard before a jury, is now in its third week.
On Wednesday, witness Tanya Brown, who lives at Premier Drive in north Belfast, close to the area where Noah disappeared, told the inquest she heard two screams on the night he went missing.
Her witness statement was read to Belfast Coroner’s Court where Ms Brown said she was sleeping at around midnight on the night of June 21 2020.
She said: “I was lying in my bed reading. It was a warm night, so I had my bedroom window lying wide open.
“I heard what sounded like a scream, but it didn’t sound as if it was close by, it sounded like it was some distance away. It sounded like a girl screaming.”
She said she woke up her husband, who was sleeping downstairs, and went outside.
She said: “We both went into the back garden, my bedroom looks out onto my back garden, and this is where I heard the scream come from. We stood in the garden, and that’s when I heard the second scream.”
She said she stood outside for about five minutes before coming back inside.
The following night, Monday June 22 Mrs Brown said she became aware of a missing child. She contacted police to tell them what she had heard the previous night as she felt she had a “duty” to inform them.
Inquest ends for the day
The inquest hearing has now ended for the day and will resume again on Thursday, February 5.
Detective Constable begins to give evidence
A detective constable who was involved in the search for Noah Donohoe is giving evidence to the inquest into his death.
The officer told Belfast Coroner’s Court that she had been on duty on Monday June 22 2020, the day after the schoolboy had gone missing.
The officer said she had sent a text message to Noah’s phone on that day to reassure him he was not in trouble while the search continued.
She later accompanied another officer who took possession of Noah’s mobile after it had been found by a member of the public in north Belfast.
She said while they had the phone it received a call from Noah’s mother Fiona.
She said: “I answered the phone as I had been speaking with Noah’s mom, Fiona, throughout the day, and I thought it was best she immediately knew the phone was in police possession and explained the circumstances of it being located to her.”
Man woken by a “white flash”
Resuming after lunch, the inquest hears from a man who says he was woken by a “white flash” on the night the schoolboy went missing.
Grant Brown, who lives in Premier Drive in north Belfast, told the court that he was sleeping downstairs when he was woken by his wife, who had heard screaming.
Mr Grant’s statement said: “I got up and we both went into our back garden. I took a look about couldn’t see anything.
“That’s when I heard the sound of a muffled scream. It sounded like a girl’s scream, it didn’t sound as if it was close by.”
Mr Brown said he returned inside and fell back asleep on the downstairs sofa.
He added: “At around 3am I woke up. A white flash like a torchlight flashed in my kitchen window.”
Lunchtime recap
A witness has told the jury that she heard two screams on the night the schoolboy went missing.
Tanya Brown lives at Premier Drive in north Belfast, close to the area where Noah disappeared. Ms Brown said she was in bed at around midnight on the night of June 21 2020.
She said: “I was lying in my bed reading. It was a warm night, so I had my bedroom window lying wide open.
“I heard what sounded like a scream, but it didn’t sound as if it was close by, it sounded like it was some distance away. It sounded like a girl screaming.”
She said she woke up her husband, who was sleeping downstairs, and went outside.
She said: “We both went into the back garden, my bedroom looks out onto my back garden, and this is where I heard the scream come from. We stood in the garden, and that’s when I heard the second scream.”
She said she stood outside for about five minutes before coming back inside.
Ms Brown said she became aware that Noah was missing when she noticed messages on her phone from friends the following day and saw a search operation close to her home.
Earlier a police officer involved in the search for Noah was also questioned on Wednesday about whether the teenager’s interest in a self-help book became a feature of the investigation into his death.
The constable was asked about a statement he provided to the Coroner’s Service in January 2021, seven months after Noah died.
In that statement, the officer said when he had first met Ms Donohoe after her son disappeared, she had described Noah as “very weepy” and said she had requested his school arrange counselling for him.
Brenda Campbell KC, who represents Ms Donohoe, said this detail had not featured in his notes or the police log from the period when Noah was missing.
The court was shown a transcript of Ms Donohoe’s 999 call on Sunday June 21 2020 and from her statement to the inquest.
Ms Campbell said the constable’s statement gave a “materially different” account of events to that which Ms Donohoe had given in her evidence.
The officer said the statement was based on his recollection from the time.
Ms Campbell also pointed out that the constable’s statement also referred to Noah’s interest in the book 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson.
The inquest has previously heard Noah had read the book by the Canadian psychologist and discussed it with friends.
Ms Campbell said: “Did you, after your dealings with Fiona on the 22nd or 23rd, did you become aware of any discussions or any focus on how Noah’s reading that book may have become a feature of his inquest or the investigation into his death?”
The officer said he had made the statement five years ago and it was based on his recollections from conversations with Ms Donohoe.
He said: “I specifically remember her speaking about that book.”
The inquest continues after lunch.
‘I’ve never heard a fox scream’
Mrs Brown has been questioned by Mr Lunny who asked her if the scream she heard was from a person or an animal, perhaps a fox.
“I have never heard a fox scream before,” she replied.
When questioned by Ms Campbell, Mrs Brown says she was in no doubt at the time that the high pitched scream she heard was from a human.
Woman recalls hearing two screams
The hearing has recommenced after a short break and is now hearing from Tanya Brown who lives at Premier Drive.
Mrs Brown’s witness statement was read to the court. She recalled hearing two screams on the night of Sunday, June 21, the evening that Noah went missing.
She said: “I was lying in my bed reading. It was a warm night, so I had my bedroom window lying wide open.
“I heard what sounded like a scream, but it didn’t sound as if it was close by, it sounded like it was some distance away. It sounded like a girl screaming.”
She then went downstairs to alert her husband who was asleep. She woke him up but he hadn’t heard anything.
They both went into the back garden where she had heard the scream come from.
She added: “We stood in the garden, and that’s when I heard the second scream. I stood outside for about five minutes before coming back inside.”
She initally thought it might be teenagers in the area.
The following night, Monday June 22 Mrs Brown said she became aware of a missing child. She contacted police to tell them what she had heard the previous night as she felt she had a “duty” to inform them.
‘My focus was on finding Noah’
When questioned by Donal Lunny, representing the PSNI, on the officer’s correspondence and logs, the issue of Fiona Donohoe having arranged counselling with the school for Noah was revisited.
Asked if the difference between Ms Donohoe seeking or being offered counselling by the school was of great importance, the officer replied: “My focus was on finding Noah”.
Fiona Donohoe arriving at court this morning
Officer’s account “materially different” to Fiona Donohoe
Ms Campbell says the police officer gave an account of some of the events surrounding Noah’s disappearance that was “materially different” to that of his mother Fiona.
In the statement, the officer said Ms Donohoe described Noah as “very weepy” before he went missing and said she had requested his school arrange counselling for him.
Ms Campbell said this had not featured in his notes or the police log from the period when Noah was missing.
She said the constable’s statement gave a “materially different” account of events to that which Ms Donohoe had given in her evidence.
The officer said the statement was based on his recollection from the time five years ago.
Noah in “low mood, very weepy and more affectionate”
Wednesday morning began with a police constable resuming his evidence about visiting Fiona Donohoe’s home address the morning after Noah went missing.
The court was also shown the transcript of Fiona’s 999 call in which she described Noah as having been crying that day.
Brenda Campbell KC, who represents Fiona, is questioning the witness about a second statement made in January 2021 in which he said Ms Donohoe had told him Noah was in “low mood, very weepy and more affectionate to her”.
Ms Donohoe also told him about Noah’s interest in the 12 Rules for Life book by Jordan Peterson which he had “enjoyed the book to the point that he wouldn’t put it down but this was not new or unusual for him at all”.
What the inquest heard on Tuesday
Here’s a recap of the evidence heard on Tuesday
Hearing due to begin shortly
Wednesday’s inquest hearing is due to get underway shortly at Belfast Coroner’s Court. It will hear more about the circumstances surrounding the death of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe, who was 14 when he was found dead in a storm drain in 2020.
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We will bring you the latest updates from week 3 of the inquest into Noah Donohoe’s death.
