The jury in the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has been firmly instructed by the coroner, Mr Justice Rooney, to base their final verdict 'solely on the evidence' presented within the courtroom. This directive, delivered during a comprehensive summing-up that commenced on Thursday, underscores the necessity for the ten jurors to exclude any outside speculation, theories, or information they may have encountered during the five-month long proceedings.
Mr Justice Rooney explicitly prohibited the jury from concluding that Noah was under the influence of drugs, assaulted by anyone, or that there was any third-party involvement in his disappearance and death. Furthermore, he ruled out findings of a psychotic episode, child exploitation, or death by suicide, citing insufficient or no evidence to support such conclusions. This includes a specific reference to expert evidence regarding drug degradation, which the coroner deemed 'not enough' to infer drug presence in Noah's system.
The inquest has been examining the circumstances surrounding Noah's disappearance and subsequent death in north Belfast on 21 June 2020. The schoolboy was found naked, and while most of his possessions were recovered, his shorts, boxers, and coat remain missing. The coroner also reminded the jury that CCTV evidence showed Noah cycling naked on a footpath near where he disappeared, a moment that led his mother, Fiona, to leave the courtroom during its playback.
Mr Justice Rooney also addressed the matter of Daryl Paul, who was jailed for stealing Noah's missing laptop. The coroner clarified that CCTV evidence demonstrated Paul could not have interacted with Noah between the time the schoolboy left his south Belfast home and his disappearance at Northwood Road. Therefore, the jury cannot deliver a verdict stating Paul, or indeed anyone else, assaulted Noah.
In his charge to the jury, Mr Justice Rooney acknowledged the profound impact of Noah's death, stating it had left 'a hole' in the lives of his family and friends. He referenced Noah's mother, Fiona, and her description of a 'magical bond' with her only son. The jury was further instructed that their verdict must be unanimous, and they are not permitted to find anyone at fault or apportion blame in their findings. They must also consider the circumstances as they were at the time, without the benefit of hindsight.