Backdrop of Conspiracy Theories During Searches for Noah Donohoe
A police witness at the Noah Donohoe inquest described how the searches for the missing boy occurred amid conspiracy theories and antagonistic behaviour from some members of the public.
Former PSNI Inspector Philip Menary, who served with the PSNI's Tactical Support Group, stated there was no evidence that Noah Donohoe was present in an underground water tunnel when his team began searching the area.
Menary was part of a police hazardous environment team that initiated searches in the tunnel three days after the 14-year-old disappeared in June 2020. Noah's body was found in the tunnel six days after his disappearance.
Menary explained to the inquest that his specialised unit functioned as a search team rather than a rescue team.
When asked by a barrister representing Fiona Donohoe, Noah's mother, whether they considered the possibility that Noah could have been in the tunnel during their initial search, Menary replied:
"There was no evidence of that."
He added that if there had been any evidence suggesting Noah was in the tunnel, a rescue team such as the fire service would have been deployed.
Menary stated that his unit was tasked with ruling out any suggestion that Noah had entered the tunnel.
The search around the tunnel was conducted concurrently with other searches at nearby locations and across different areas of Belfast.
The witness was questioned about delays in sharing information between police teams regarding tidal conditions affecting two-thirds of the tunnel. The family lawyer noted that this information was not shared until five days after Noah went missing.
Menary reiterated that there was no evidence indicating Noah was in the water tunnel at the time of their search.
'Angry at Anyone'
The Donohoe family barrister suggested to Menary that the search of the tunnel "neither started nor proceeded with any sense of urgency."
Menary responded:
"We did what we could with what we had."
The barrister also referred to issues linked to the searches, including conspiracy theories circulating among some members of the public about Noah's disappearance.
Menary said some individuals who arrived at the scene were angry at police and, more broadly, "angry at anyone." He reiterated previous evidence about hostile behaviour from some people within a large crowd gathered to assist in finding Noah.
He noted that while these individuals were not the majority, there were:
"Quite a number of people who were antagonistic"
towards the police and that there was:
"An element in the crowd that was very disruptive."
Throughout his testimony, Menary consistently emphasized that no evidence existed to suggest Noah had entered the tunnel when searches began. He explained that if there had been any indication that Noah had entered the culvert inlet, a different search strategy would have been employed.
Menary also informed the family barrister that police requested a local neighbourhood police team to encourage the public to leave the area to allow expert search teams to operate.
When asked why this request had not been made sooner, he explained that it had to be managed carefully to avoid creating a public order issue. He added that otherwise, multiple public order units would have been required to disperse the crowd, which numbered several hundred people.
Challenges for Search Team
The witness acknowledged that the specialised camera equipment used by his search team in the tunnel had a history of malfunctioning. He described it as an expensive device that often required time-consuming repairs, stating:
"I'm not a great fan of it."
Menary was questioned extensively about the duration of the tunnel searches but defended the timing of the operation, citing concerns related to health and safety and the potential release of toxic gases when disturbing silt.
The Donohoe family barrister repeatedly challenged Menary's assertion regarding the risk of gases in the tunnel, but he maintained that based on his experience working in similar environments, such risks were plausible and had to be considered.
Noah's body was ultimately recovered by divers. The family barrister stated to Menary:
"Your team failed to find Noah."
Menary responded:
"In hindsight, all things are great."
The barrister noted that Menary's team had been involved in the tunnel operation since the Tuesday following Noah's disappearance and that his body was not found until the subsequent Saturday.
Menary acknowledged that because the search extended beyond Friday, he regarded it as:
"A failure on our part."
Menary was the first member of the specialised police team to enter the tunnel during the search. The tunnel extends from a culvert inlet near the location where Noah went missing in north Belfast to an outlet at Belfast Lough.
Noah's body was discovered more than 600 metres downstream from the point where he is believed to have entered the culvert beside Northwood Road, where he was last seen naked and running behind houses.
Menary, who had previously given evidence over two days two months prior, returned to the hearing to continue his testimony on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, a hydrology expert testified at the inquest that it is "very likely" Noah Donohoe drowned on the day he disappeared in the storm drain where his body was later found.
