Noah Donohoe: Man who 'hounded' schoolboy's mother sentenced

Noah Donohoe with his mum Fiona - the teenager was found dead in a north Belfast storm drain in June 2020

A 44-year-old man has been handed a two-year probation order for the online harassment of schoolboy Noah Donohoe's mother.

William Logue posted a number of sectarian and racist comments aimed at Fiona Donohoe on Twitter in 2021.

Fourteen-year-old Noah was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in 2020.

A judge described Logue as a "vulture" who had behaved in a "despicable manner".

Logue, from Northwood Parade in Belfast, has been banned from using social media for five years and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to Ms Donohoe.

Police arrested him in December 2021 after he was linked to comments made on the Justice for Noah Twitter account.

He initially denied harassing Ms Donohoe but pleaded guilty to the charge before court proceedings reached trial.

'Inexcusable behaviour'

Defence counsel Richard McConkey said there was nothing he could say to excuse his client's "inexcusable" behaviour, but said Logue had heightened mental health issues at the time.

District Judge Chris Holmes said Logue had "hounded" the family and indicated his initial reaction was to jail Logue for as long as possible. 

"This is unfortunately something which we see a lot of these days, vultures landing on people's grief," he said.

However, he decided against a prison sentence, which would have led to Logue being released after three months without supervision.  

He accepted the defendant's mental health problems had contributed to him posting the material, which he described as "disgusting".

The judge said Logue must fully participate in any required programme of work or alcohol and drugs counselling. 

He explained to Ms Donohoe, who was in court along with supporters, that the sentence was aimed at ensuring Logue remains under supervision.

"I'm hoping that will prevent any form of behaviour like this happening to anybody else," he said.