Noah Donohoe inquest adjourned until later in year after late-night sitting

Noah Donohoe inquest adjourned until later in year after late-night sittingImage source, PacemakerImage caption, Noah Donohoe was found dead almost a week after he went missing in June 2020ByKevin Sharkey BBC News NI Published23 minutes agoThe long-running Noah Donohoe inquest has been adjourned until later this year.The decision was taken by the coroner just before 01:00 BST on Friday because of impending holiday arrangements by four members of the jury.Mr Justice Rooney described the situation as "unprecedented".The inquest has been examining the circumstances of Noah Donohoe's death in north Belfast in June 2020.The eight men and two women on the jury had been deliberating over three days since Tuesday morning.They remained in session on the third day until shortly before 23:30 on Thursday, without reaching the unanimous verdict required by the court.The late-night sitting took place in the Royal Courts of Justice after the hearing was moved from the adjacent Laganside Court at around 18:00.During an update before 23:30 it emerged that two of the jurors would be unavailable for service on Friday because they are departing on planned holidays.It was also revealed that two other jury members would be unavailable from Saturday due to their planned holidays.The number of jurors at the inquest can drop to a minimum of seven.Jury praised for 'dedication' Following a lengthy recess, the hearing reconvened just before 01:00 on Friday and the coroner announced that he was adjourning proceedings because of the holiday arrangements. Mr Justice Rooney explained that the ten jurors had "dedicated" themselves to more than five months of the inquest since it began at the end of January.He said it would be "wrong" not to allow all of them to be involved in the completion of the jury process.He praised their commitment during the entire process saying they "listened intently" to the proceedings.Mr Justice Rooney said the issu...