Trial begins of son who allegedly 'strangled' his mother in her Sligo home

IT IS THE State’s case that a mother who had a “glittering career” as a psychotherapist before she fell into the grip of alcoholism was strangled to death by her son in her home, a barrister has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court.

Conor Devally SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, opened the trial of Nigel Canavan (39) this morning on the second anniversary of the death of the accused man’s mother, Angela Canavan (58).

Nigel Canavan, with an address at Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to his mother’s murder at her home on 1 May 2023.

Devally told the jury of ten women and two men that Nigel Canavan had previously lived with his wife in Athenry but due to some “unhappy differences between them”, he moved into his father’s home in Crossmolina in Co Mayo.

A few days before the alleged murder, he began sleeping in a bedroom at his mother’s home at St John’s Terrace in Co Sligo.

Angela Canavan, counsel said, had suffered several “issues, sadnesses and tragedies in her life” and had been separated from the accused man’s father for a long time.

Despite a “glittering career in psychology”, by the time of her death, Devally said, she had “declined to a severe degree into the grip of alcoholism”.

She had also acquired a brain injury after a fall, and although she retained her independence, she required care from time to time.

On 1 May 2023, Nigel Canavan returned to his mother’s home after work. Gardaí arrived some hours later, having been contacted by neighbours, counsel said.

“What happened in between is what we are discussing in this trial,” he told the jury.

In the kitchen and dining area of her home, gardaí found Angela Canavan lying on her back.

They saw a “considerable amount of debris” giving rise to the “suspicion of signs of violence”, Devally said.

Nigel Canavan was present and in a “high state of anxiety”.

In a voluntary statement and in interviews with gardai, the accused man said that he had no involvement in his mother’s death but that he had heard noises that led him to discover her body in the kitchen. 

Counsel said a pathologist will give evidence that will lead to the “inescapable” conclusion that fatal violence was perpetrated on Angela Canavan and that she died from manual strangulation or asphyxia.

“There is no other account of how she met her end,” counsel said.

The accused man’s brother, Keith Canavan, was among the first day’s witnesses. He told Devally that he is not close to his brother. He said their mother suffered from alcoholism for a long time and had been to numerous mental institutions.

The brain injury she suffered from a fall down the stairs had caused mobility issues, and she required daily help.

She also suffered cognitive issues; she would get tired quickly and would panic easily.

On the day after his mother’s death, Keith Canavan said he met his brother at University Hospital, Sligo. He said he hugged his brother and asked him what had happened.

He recalled his brother telling him there had been fighting in the house, and he told his mother he “can’t take this any more” and went upstairs.

From his room, the accused told his brother he heard three “thumps”, came downstairs and found their mother dead. He said there was “bile in her mouth and glass in her head,” the witness recalled.

Keith Canavan said his brother seemed to become emotional and angry and said something like: “I swear I’m not a f**king criminal.”

“That abruptly ended any conversation about what had happened,” the witness said.

Garda Aidan Keaveney said he received the emergency call from Canavan at 8.32pm.

He said Nigel Canavan repeated several times that his mother was dead and that she had “hit her head”.

Paramedic Lorraine Gillespie said she arrived at Angela Canavan’s home within two minutes of receiving the emergency call. She found Angela Canavan lying on her back with her arms outstretched, and it was obvious she was dead, she said.

When she confirmed death, the paramedic said Nigel Canavan attempted to hug his mother, saying, “mammy, mammy”.

She described Nigel Canavan as “agitated and upset”, and despite broken glass on the floor, he was walking around in bare feet.

Gillespie and her colleague tried to convince Nigel Canavan to stay out of the room and to get dressed, but he returned at least twice. They were also concerned that the accused twice entered the room with a dog.

The last time she saw Nigel Canavan, she noticed that he had changed into a suit with a shirt and tie. He became “quite composed” after changing his clothes, she said.

Detective Garda Paul Curran showed the jury a video that he shot of the scene where gardai found Angela Canavan’s body.

The detective agreed with defence counsel Desmond Dockery SC that the house was “dishevelled” with items, including food, “strewn across the floor”. He further agreed that he photographed two knives on the floor, one of which was under a folded table near Angela Canavan’s remains.

The detective said he also photographed a piece of a broken chair, which appeared to be stained with blood.

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and the jury.