Case No. 1706Murder · Co. Sligo · 1 May 2023
Nigel Canavan murder trial: accused says he phoned friend while mother lay dead
The State's case is that Nigel Canavan, 39, strangled his mother Angela Canavan, 58, to death in her home on 1 May 2023 at St John's Terrace, Co Sligo. Angela Canavan had a career as a psychotherapist before falling into alcoholism and had suffered a brain injury from a fall in late 2019. Canavan, of Crossmolina, Co Mayo, was arrested six days later on suspicion of murder and pleaded not guilty. The trial opened at the Central Criminal Court on 30 April 2025 before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo with a jury of 10 women and 2 men. The trial is ongoing, with the accused telling gardai he phoned a friend before calling an ambulance after finding his mother's body.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court30 Apr
6 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The State's case is that Angela Canavan, 58, was strangled to death by her son in her home.
- Angela Canavan had a career as a psychotherapist before falling into alcoholism and suffered a brain injury from a fall in late 2019 that caused mobility and cognitive issues.
- Where
- The alleged murder occurred at St John's Terrace, Co Sligo; Canavan has an address at Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, Co Mayo.
- When
- The alleged murder took place on 1 May 2023.
- Cause
- The prosecution's case is that she died from manual strangulation or asphyxia.
- Investigation
- Gardaí found Angela Canavan lying on her back in the kitchen and dining area with considerable debris suggesting signs of violence, and Canavan was present at the scene in a high state of anxiety.
- Canavan was arrested six days after his mother's death on suspicion of murder and questioned at Sligo Garda Station.
- Charges
- Canavan, 39, pleaded not guilty to his mother's murder.
- In court
- The trial opened at the Central Criminal Court on 30 April 2025 before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo with a jury of 10 women and 2 men, expected to last two weeks.
- Other details
- Canavan told gardai he heard thumps from downstairs, found his mother dead on the floor, phoned a friend, and waited about 20 minutes before calling an ambulance.
- Canavan told his then-wife that his mother went a bit mad, struck herself with a knife, and tried to pick a fight with him before she died.
- Canavan asked his friend John Gannon to say they had been talking about hurling and football rather than his mother's death; Gannon initially agreed but told gardai the truth the next day.
80 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe State's case is that Angela Canavan was strangled to death by her son in her home (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAngela Canavan had a career as a psychotherapist before falling into alcoholism (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAngela Canavan had acquired a brain injury after a fall and required care from time to time (irishmirror.ie)
- whatNigel Canavan pleaded not guilty to his mother's murder (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí found Angela Canavan lying on her back in the kitchen and dining area with considerable debris suggesting signs of violence (irishmirror.ie)
- whatNigel Canavan was present at the scene in a high state of anxiety (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan told gardai he had no involvement in his mother's death and had heard noises that led him to discover her body (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA pathologist will give evidence leading to the conclusion that she died from manual strangulation or asphyxia (irishmirror.ie)
- whatKeith Canavan, the accused's brother, testified he is not close to his brother (irishmirror.ie)
- whatKeith Canavan said their mother suffered from alcoholism for a long time and had been to numerous mental institutions (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe brain injury from a fall down the stairs caused mobility issues and she required daily help (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAngela Canavan suffered cognitive issues, would get tired quickly and panic easily (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan told his brother he heard three thumps, came downstairs and found their mother dead with bile in her mouth and glass in her head (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan said to his brother 'I swear I'm not a f*****g criminal' (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan repeated several times that his mother was dead and had hit her head (irishmirror.ie)
- whatParamedic Lorraine Gillespie arrived within two minutes and found Angela Canavan lying on her back with arms outstretched, obviously dead (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan is a bookkeeper who worked in a hotel in Knock (irishtimes.com)
- whatCanavan told his ex-wife his mother struck herself on the leg with a knife (irishtimes.com)
- whatCanavan found his mother dead on the floor with bile in her mouth (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatAngela Canavan suffered a brain injury from a fall close to Christmas 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whatCanavan left his bookkeeper job at a hotel in Galway in November 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whatCanavan asked Gannon to say they had been talking about hurling and football rather than his mother's death (irishtimes.com)
- whatCanavan told his wife his mother struck herself on the leg with a knife (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan asked Gannon to say they had been talking about hurling and football, not about his mother (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGannon initially agreed to Canavan's request but told gardai the truth the next day (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAngela Canavan suffered a fall close to Christmas 2019 that caused a brain injury impacting her physically and mentally (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAngela Canavan was a psychotherapist (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDet Gda James Conneely met Canavan outside his mother's home on the night of her death (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan had phoned emergency services about one hour and 15 minutes before gardai arrived (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDet Gda Conneely found Canavan to be nervous and evasive with questions (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan was eager to cooperate and did not want legal advice when asked to come to Sligo Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDefence counsel agreed Canavan had been distraught, upset and tearful at the scene (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIn the voluntary interview Canavan said he heard three loud bangs from downstairs (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe found the room in a mess with a broken chair and glass everywhere (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHis mother was lying on her back on the ground (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan said he had recently separated from his wife and stayed with his father for a short time (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe had been at work in a hotel in Knock where he was a financial controller (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe arrived at his mother's house that evening with takeaway food and immediately knew she was drunk (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCanavan said his mother became more and more agitated and took out her walking stick (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe said his mother used to self-inflict things, had a really bad temper and was prone to picking up stuff and smashing things (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe checked his mother's vital signs and phoned emergency services (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAt the start of the first interview Canavan said he was not guilty (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe spoke of his mother's career as a psychologist and addiction counsellor while she dealt with addictions to alcohol and cigarettes (irishmirror.ie)
- whatNigel Canavan, 39, denies murdering his mother Angela Canavan, 58 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe was staying with his mother after separating from his wife a few weeks earlier (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe said his mother was drunk and agitated and had been trying to pick a fight with him (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe tried to stab her own legs with a knife, which he wrestled from her and threw away (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe pushed his mother onto the couch after taking the knife away (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe heard a series of bangs or thuds from downstairs and found his mother lying prone on the ground (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe phoned his friend John Gannon to say his mother was dead (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe called the ambulance about 20 minutes after finding his mother dead (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe said he panicked and didn't know what to do (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe described having palpitations and panic attacks (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe said he did not kill his mother and was not in the room when the events happened (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe did not know what caused a bruise on his mother's arm and suggested it could have been her dog (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe demonstrated to gardai that he grabbed his mother by both wrists and put her onto the couch (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe said he had not seen marks on his mother's neck (irishmirror.ie)
- whereNigel Canavan has an address at Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, Co Mayo. (irishtimes.com)
- whereNigel Canavan's address is Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, Co Mayo (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe murder occurred at St John's Terrace in Co Sligo (irishmirror.ie)
- whereCanavan has an address at Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, Co Mayo (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe murder occurred at her home in St John's Terrace, Co Sligo (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe trial opened on the second anniversary of Angela Canavan's death (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGarda Aidan Keaveney received the emergency call from Canavan at 8.32pm (irishmirror.ie)
- whenOn the May bank holiday weekend he was staying with his mother (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe murder occurred on 1 May 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe prosecution's case is that fatal violence was used and she died from manual strangulation (irishmirror.ie)
- causeState Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis confirmed the deceased died from asphyxia (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationSix days later gardai arrested Canavan on suspicion of murder and brought him to Sligo Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested him six days after his mother's death on suspicion of her murder (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe was questioned at Sligo Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeCanavan has pleaded not guilty to his mother's murder at her home in St John's Terrace, Co Sligo on 1 May 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe pleaded not guilty to his mother's murder (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA jury was sworn in for the trial of a 39-year-old man who denies murdering his mother in Co Sligo. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe accused was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Kerida Naidoo swore in a jury of ten women and two men. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is expected to last two weeks. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo with a jury of 10 women and 2 men (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury of 10 women and two men (irishmirror.ie)
- otherClaire Conroy married Canavan in 2009 and they divorced in 2024 (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 9 May2025Man accused of murdering mother told gardai he phoned friend while she lay dead
Trial day reporting: the accused's account of events to gardai, including phoning a friend before calling the ambulance, his description of the night, and the State Pathologist's confirmation of death by asphyxia. Trial continues before Mr Justice Kerdia Naidoo.
accused, Nigel Canavan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavanvictim, Angela Canavan, 58, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavan - 7 May2025Man accused of murdering his mother seemed 'evasive', court told
Trial day reporting: Det Gda Conneely described meeting Canavan at the scene; voluntary interview recording played to jury; Det Sgt Mullaney and Det Gda McMahon gave evidence on the arrest six days later and the first interview; evidence continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo.
victim, Angela Canavan, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan - 2 May2025Man accused of murdering mother said deceased 'went a bit mad'
Trial testimony from ex-wife Claire Conroy and friend John Gannon detailing Canavan's account of the night; prosecution case of manual strangulation; background on Canavan's drinking and his mother's 2019 brain injury; Canavan's request that Gannon downplay their phone conversation.
victim, Angela Canavan, 58, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan - 2 May2025Man claimed his mother ‘went a bit mad’ before dying suddenly, murder trial hears
Ex-wife Claire Conroy and friend John Gannon testified about Canavan's account of the night of the death, his drinking history, and his request that Gannon say they were talking about hurling and football rather than his mother's death. Prosecution alleges manual strangulation.
victim, Angela Canavan, 58, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan - 1 May2025Trial hears son accused of killing mother said: 'I'm not a f****** criminal'
Details of the State's opening case, first-day witness testimony from Keith Canavan, Garda Aidan Keaveney, paramedic Lorraine Gillespie, and Det Garda Paul Curran, including the condition of the scene, the emergency call at 8.32pm, and Canavan's statement 'I swear I'm not a f*****g criminal'.
victim, Angela Canavan, 58, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan - 30 Apr2025Jury sworn in for trial of man accused of murdering his mother in Co Sligo
Jury sworn in; trial expected to last two weeks; judge identified as Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo; accused arraigned and pleaded not guilty.
victim, Angela Canavan, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Canavanaccused, Nigel Canavan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nigel Canavan