Expert Testimony on Culvert Entry
An engineering expert testified at an inquest that it was most probable Noah Donohoe entered the culvert where his body was discovered through the metal bars. Brian Pope, a chartered engineer, stated that the possibility of Noah accessing the culvert via a hatch or manhole was very unlikely.
The 14-year-old's body was found in an underground water tunnel six days after he went missing in north Belfast nearly six years ago.
On Friday, Pope explained that poor visibility and cold weather conditions would have contributed to the risk of drowning. He noted that as an engineer, he "can read pipe work" but for someone unfamiliar with it, "then it would have been a potentially confusing situation."
Pope also described the culvert environment, stating that in his opinion the interior would be dark, with some light at the inlet and a small amount at the manholes, but that light "wouldn't penetrate much into the culvert itself."
'A Mixed Picture'
Dr Mark Cooper, a health and safety expert, also provided evidence on Friday. During the hearing, the jury was presented with a map showing the manholes along the culvert.
Both Pope and Cooper were questioned about fencing around the culvert. Pope commented that from his perspective, the nearby fencing in Linear Park "would prevent unauthorised access from the majority of the public, but wouldn't exclude it completely."
Cooper expressed strong views on the fencing, describing it as "a mixed picture." He explained that anyone with access to the properties could reach the gardens, where there is no fencing.
Cooper further stated that being in a confined space affects individuals differently:
"Some are very able and some you wouldn't want them to do it – as they are claustrophobic – it's person dependent."
Discussion on Culvert Screens
Neasa Murnaghan, a barrister representing the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), questioned Pope and Cooper about the distinctions between security screens and debris screens placed over culverts.
The inquest heard that the DFI manages 2,200 culverts, of which 776 have screens installed.
During questioning, Pope stated:
"The first imperative is to try and design a culvert without a screen."
