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Noah Donohoe Inquest Hears From Resident Who Found His Bike, Raising Culvert Safety Questions

Jurors were told the report drew police to Northwood Road, leading to the last sighting.

Overview

  • Northwood Road resident Karen Crooks testified she discovered a mountain bike near her car on June 21, 2020, left it propped up, and later contacted police after recognizing it from social media appeals.
  • Crooks said she was never warned about hazards at the culvert behind her home and described a debris screen with bars wide enough for her five-year-old to fit through, with no padlock on the hatch.
  • PSNI counsel told the court Crooks’s call first directed officers to the Northwood area, which prompted inquiries that captured the final sighting of the 14-year-old.
  • The court heard Crooks could not identify a person shown only by feet in CCTV footage from outside her home in the moments before the bike was left.
  • Earlier testimony challenged PSNI’s early suggestion of a head injury, with witness Amanda Seenan confirming she saw a fall on North Queen Street but did not report any head trauma, while others described Noah removing his helmet and being without a top in the Northwood area.