Corporate manslaughter investigation launched into death of Noah Donohoe

Police in Northern Ireland have launched a corporate manslaughter investigation into the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe.

The 14-year-old’s body was recovered from a storm drain close to the M2 motorway in June last, six days after he went missing.

Police had said earlier this week that detectives were engaged in an investigation into access to the drain network.

A PSNI statement on Friday said: “Police can confirm this is a corporate manslaughter investigation.”

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Investigation material has been gathered and police are working with the Health and Safety Executive and Public Prosecution Service.

A separate coroner’s investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the death of the teenager, who went missing on June 21st last year.

The PSNI said last year they believed Noah entered the drain in the Premier Drive/Northwood Road area of north Belfast.

The drain is owned by the North’s Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

Noah had cycled to the area from his home in south Belfast and, shortly before he went missing, was seen with no clothes on.

Prior to that, he was seen falling off his bike in Shore Road.

The schoolboy’s disappearance prompted a major search operation, with hundreds of people from across Belfast involved.

KRW Law, which represents Noah's mother Fiona Donohoe, said: "This corporate manslaughter investigation will enquire into risk assessments of the storm drain at Premier Drive/culvert network and reporting structures within DfI/Rivers Agency."

A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure said: “The department can confirm that there is no case against them.

“DfI have been advised that an investigation in the offence of corporate manslaughter has been launched and the department is co-operating fully with all aspects of this investigation.

“No further comment can be made while these investigations are continuing.” – PA