The inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe has been adjourned until later this year, following an unprecedented late-night sitting that concluded just before 1 a.m. BST on Friday. The decision was made by the coroner due to impending holiday arrangements for four members of the jury, who had been deliberating for three days since Tuesday morning.
Mr. Justice Rooney described the situation as "unprecedented" as the jury, comprising eight men and two women, remained in session until shortly before 11:30 p.m. on Thursday without reaching the unanimous verdict required. The hearing was moved from the Laganside Court to the Royal Courts of Justice around 6 p.m. on Thursday.
During an update before the extended deliberations concluded, it was revealed that two jurors would be unavailable on Friday due to planned holidays, and two others would be unavailable from Saturday for the same reason. The minimum number of jurors required for an inquest is seven, a threshold that could have been met even with some absences.
The inquest has been examining the circumstances surrounding Noah Donohoe's death in north Belfast in June 2020. The jury's inability to reach a unanimous verdict after extended deliberation has led to the adjournment, with proceedings set to resume later in the year.