The BelTel

It’s been a rough week for prime minister Keir Starmer. First, the Labour leader offered a direct apology to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network while declaring that “none of us knew the depth and darkness” of the relationship between Epstein and former British ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson. Then came the resignations of Morgan McSweeney and Tim Allan. Can Mr Starmer hold onto his job?

Meanwhile, the latest tranche of Epstein files contained references of a distinctly Irish nature – what are they, and what conclusions can we draw from them?  

Host: Tabitha Monahan 

Guests: Enda Brady and Kim Bielenberg

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Lauren Bradford-Clarke grew up believing her mother Lesley had taken her own life before finding out the truth – her father was a murderer. She was told her mum Lesley took her own life, eventually being told it was part of a ‘suicide’ pact with a man, Trevor Buchanan – the husband of the woman who would eventually become a mother figure to her. That woman was Hazel Stewart, how had been having an affair with Lauren’s father, Colin Howell. 18 years after the deaths, Colin Howell walked into a police station and confessed to murdering them, implicating Stewart as his partner in crime. 

Dr Lauren Bradford-Clarke, now a criminologist, spoke with the Belfast Telegraph’s Claire Williamson. 

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Former UVF man Mark Haddock has been released from prison in England. A serial killer, Haddock was previously the commander of the notorious Mount Vernon UVF gang. But the loyalist informer has been told he is a ‘dead man walking’ if he tries to return to home to Belfast – might he chance it? 

The Belfast Telegraph’s security correspondent Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar. 

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Noah Donohoe’s appearance on a leisure centre’s CCTV footage appeared to have been “missed” by police in the first “critical” 24 hours after he went missing, an inquest has heard. The inquest into the death of 14-year-old schoolboy Noah Donohoe continues today. Noah’s body was discovered in north Belfast on June 27, 2020, six days after the St Malachy’s College student went missing as he cycled to meet friends.  

Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph. 

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A witness says she heard two screams the night Noah Donohoe went missing. Another witness said he saw a torch light on his window in the early hours of the following morning. The evidence was heard as the inquest into the death of 14-year-old schoolboy continues in Belfast. 

Liam Tunney reports. 

Among the evidence heard on Wednesday: 

• Constable involved in early stages of missing person investigation begins evidence 
• Inquest hears from resident who heard two screams on night Noah went missing 
• Constable asked about why he specifically mentioned author Jordan Peterson

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A jury has cleared veteran Belfast business figure Frank Cushnahan of wrong-doing. He had been accused of dishonestly failing to disclose he was in line for millions of pounds from the sale of Nama’s Northern Ireland loans more than a decade ago.Cushnahan (84) may still face another charge, so what’s next for the Northern Ireland businessman? 

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland editor, Sam McBride.

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The inquest into the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe is continuing.  On Monday one witness testified she heard a “high-pitched scream” near to where Noah’s remains were found - on the night he went missing. Another said she was awoken by a noise at her back door of the handle being tried in the early hours of the morning. On Tuesday, the jury heard Noah’s mother Fiona Donohoe had bought Noah a book by Jordan Peterson and that he had not put it down all week. A police witness reported she was worried it might have affected her son. 

Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph. 

Key updates: 

• First police witness to give evidence spoke of night he attended Fiona Donohoe's house when Noah reported missing  
• Inquest heard from witness who found Noah's phone 
• Witness described hearing 'high-pitched scream' on night Noah disappeared 
• Witness heard someone trying to access her home via back door in early hours of morning 

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A County Down man’s holiday in Greece has ended in a conviction for fatal bodily harm. Trinity law graduate Joseph Patrick Connolly has been found guilty of killing a university of Limerick student after a confrontation on the island of Ios in the early hours of August 30th, 2021. 21-year-old Niall O’Brien died after being punched twice in the head. 

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Mark Tighe, senior news journalist with the Sunday Independent, who attended court in Greece.

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The Noah Donohoe inquest has been hearing from witnesses in the street near to where the 14-year-olds remains were found.  

His body was discovered in north Belfast on June 27, 2020, six days after the St Malachy’s College student went missing as he cycled to meet friends. 

Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph. 

Among the evidence heard on Thursday. 

• Witness saw figure 'totally naked' and 'sitting down cycling' 
• One person said that she thought at the time that that person she saw was “maybe drunk” 
• Inquest hears storm drain area could only be accessed through locked gate or through nearby homes 

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An Eyewitness saw Noah Donohoe fall over handlebars of his bike the day he went missing – the inquest in his death has heard. Another witness recalled seeing Noah “with no top on”. 

Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph, among the headlines from Thursday’s evidence: 

• New inquest witness said he believed Noah had no top on when he saw him 
• Witness says she 'didn't see' Noah suffer head injury 
• 'It wasn't horrifically bad but he did go forward': Inquest hears Noah fell over bicycle handlebars 

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