Inquest Adjourned Over Police Evidence Issue
The inquest into the disappearance of Noah Donohoe was temporarily adjourned on Thursday due to a "serious matter" concerning the testimony of a police witness.
Constable Wharry was part of the police team that searched the north Belfast flat of Daryl Paul, who was later imprisoned for stealing Noah's laptop. This search took place while Noah was still missing in June 2020.
The issue raised during the inquest related to a missing green coat that belonged to Noah Donohoe. The coat, which the schoolboy was wearing shortly before his disappearance, has never been recovered.
Wharry testified that he was assigned to search the flat because it was believed that Paul possessed Noah's green coat, laptop, and schoolbag. He also stated that he was briefed about these three items by the PSNI's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) prior to the search on 25 June 2020, four days after Noah went missing.
However, the inquest heard that Wharry did not mention the green coat in his contemporaneous notes or in the two statements he provided to the inquest. He then told the court that he only became aware of the green coat on the day of the hearing.
Wharry explained that he was briefed about the coat by a PSNI team at Musgrave police station before "coming over today for court." Referring to his recollection of the 2020 search, he stated,
"I don't believe we were told about the green coat".
He was challenged by a barrister representing Fiona Donohoe, Noah's mother, who asked why he had "repeatedly" told the hearing that he was briefed about the coat before the flat search. The witness remained silent when questioned and was then asked if he could answer.
The barrister addressed the coroner, Mr Justice Rooney, saying she was uncertain how to proceed given the witness was under oath, adding,
"This is a serious matter".
Justice Rooney granted a short adjournment to allow legal teams to consider the issue.
Body-Worn Footage and Further Testimony
When Wharry returned to the inquest, he informed the coroner and jury that he had been briefed by two individuals at Musgrave police station, including a senior officer, regarding the court "running order" as he had not previously testified.
The coroner ruled that no further questions about Noah's green coat could be asked until he reviewed the transcript of earlier evidence.
Wharry was also questioned about his statements concerning body-worn police cameras during the search of Paul's flat. The inquest heard that a statement Wharry made on the night of the search noted he found schoolbooks belonging to Noah in a rubbish bag inside the flat, which was "captured on body-worn video." However, in a second statement made more than two years later, he expressed uncertainty.
The witness clarified that he believed "someone else" might have recorded the search on a body-worn camera.
Additionally, the inquest heard that another officer observed a rucksack "beside clothing" on the floor of Paul's flat, along with a St Paul's Missionary Journey school sheet and a book.
Noah's family expressed a desire to view body-worn footage of the search to determine if it could provide specific information about the clothing found in the flat. However, no such footage has been made available to the inquest.
Wharry explained that he was deployed to assist in Paul's arrest and would only activate his body-worn camera if someone was present in the house; Paul was not there at the time. He also noted that the rules then allowed discretion in using body-worn cameras, though guidance has since changed.
Details of Theft and Court Proceedings
Paul was later jailed after pleading guilty to stealing a rucksack containing Noah's laptop and schoolbooks, which he found in north Belfast later on the same evening.
During that court case, Paul's lawyer stated his client had no personal contact with Noah and that the theft was "opportunistic." The court was also told that the case was unrelated to any other matters concerning Noah's disappearance and death.
CCTV Evidence and Timeline
Earlier evidence at the inquest included CCTV footage showing Noah cycling along University Street towards the lower Ormeau Road in south Belfast at the start of his final journey across the city. The footage revealed Paul standing outside Queen's Quarter housing on University Street as Noah cycled past shortly after leaving home.
A barrister for Paul previously informed the coroner and jury that there was no physical interaction between Paul and Noah. The barrister also explained that Paul was later captured on CCTV in Botanic Avenue, also in south Belfast, shortly after Noah's last known sighting, indicating no contact between them around the time of Noah's disappearance.
At the time, a barrister for Fiona Donohoe stated this was not disputed or contested.
