Damage being done to PSNI over Donohoe case, says Sinn Féin MLA
Family Damage is being done to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as it considers withholding information from the inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly says.
Mr Kelly raised the case with Chief Constable Simon Byrne at a meeting of the Policing Board in Belfast.
Police are deciding whether to seek a public interest immunity certificate.
The certificate would cover "a small amount" of sensitive details contained within three larger files.
Mr Kelly said the issue was causing "immense damage" and that an online petition in support of providing all information to the coroner had attracted 300,000 signatures.
Mr Byrne said no final decisions have been reached yet.
The body of 14-year-old Noah was found in a Belfast storm drain six days after he went missing in June 2020.
Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Mark McEwan gave some details to the board of what is under consideration.
He said potential redactions included the grading of intelligence information gathered in the course of the investigation into Noah's disappearance and death.
Other details covered investigative techniques and methods.
The phone numbers and addresses of witnesses may also be withheld due to human rights legislation.
PSNIMr Kelly said that the assessment process had already taken four months, and that as a matter of urgency the PSNI needed to provide everything to the coroner .
Fiona Donohoe had been due to attend an interview at a police station on Friday.
She had said police wanted to talk to her about alleged breaches of legislation relating to parading and Covid-19 regulations.
A protest was held last week at police headquarters over the PSNI's plans to withhold some information from the inquest into the death.
Noah's family and supporters have been demanding to know details of the evidence which could be held back from the inquest.
