Court archive
Court reports mentioning Crossmolina, Mayo
2025-10-24 · Mayo
A man who struck and fatally injured a young pedestrian at a crossing in Ballina, County Mayo, has received a fully suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. James Moyles, aged thirty-three, died on February twentieth, two thousand twenty-four, after being hit by a car on Lord Edward Street whilst holding his four-year-old niece's hand. In his final moments, Mr Moyles pushed the child to safety from the oncoming vehicle. Keith O'Brien, aged fifty, of Lowvalley, Crossmolina, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He received a suspended sentence of two and a half years and was disqualified from driving for ten years. Judge Eoin Garavan described Mr Moyles' final act as one of great selflessness, whilst characterising O'Brien as a good man who made a terrible error in judgment. The Moyles family issued a statement calling for improved road safety across Ireland.
2025-07-11 · Mayo
Keith O'Brien, 49, of Lowvalley, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to a single count of dangerous driving causing the death of James Moyles, 33. The incident occurred on Lord Edward Street, Ballina, Co Mayo, on February 20, 2024. The plea was entered before Judge Eoin Garavan. The court noted that Mr O'Brien has no previous convictions and is a working father of two. The matter is currently at the sentencing stage, with the judge deferring the imposition of a penalty to allow for the preparation of a probation report. Consequently, the case was adjourned, and Mr O'Brien faces sentencing on October 23 of this year. No final sentence or disposal has been recorded at this procedural stage. The report attributes the allegation of dangerous driving to the prosecution, which the defendant admitted. The summary reflects the validated procedural stage of sentencing and the specific adjournment for a probation report, ensuring no accusation is presented as a final conviction beyond the guilty plea.
2025-06-03 · Mayo
At the Central Criminal Court on 3 June 2025, Nigel Canavan, aged 39, with an address at Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, County Mayo, was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder of his mother Angela Canavan at her home in St John's Terrace, County Sligo on 1 May 2023. The sentence was backdated to 30 April 2025. On 16 May 2025, a jury had convicted Canavan of murder, rejecting his pleas of provocation and self-defence. The court heard that Ms Canavan, a respected psychotherapist, died from mechanical asphyxia caused by manual strangulation and external obstruction of the airway. She had suffered additional injuries including a head laceration, facial and body bruising, and three broken ribs. During sentencing, Ms Canavan's son Keith delivered a victim impact statement, describing his mother as accomplished and well-loved. Presiding judge Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo stated that it must be beyond any mother's darkest imaginings to die at the hands of the child she bore. Nigel Canavan pleaded not guilty.
2025-05-16 · Mayo
Nigel Canavan, 39, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of murdering his mother, Angela Canavan, at her home in St John's Terrace, Co Sligo, on May 1, 2023. Canavan had pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self-defence after his ailing mother attacked him, and suggested she provoked him into losing control. The jury rejected both the self-defence claim and the suggestion that he was guilty of manslaughter due to provocation. Pathological evidence indicated Ms Canavan suffered strangulation, smothering, broken ribs, and other injuries consistent with a struggle. Canavan had previously pleaded guilty to drunk driving and assault arising from a separate incident in February 2023. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo remanded Canavan in custody. The matter is not yet finalised; the judge will impose the mandatory term of life imprisonment at a sentencing hearing scheduled for June 3. At that hearing, Ms Canavan's other son, Keith Canavan, will make a statement to the court.
2025-05-15 · Sligo
A jury at the Central Criminal Court will resume deliberations tomorrow in the trial of Nigel Canavan, aged 39, who denies murdering his mother. The accused, with an address in Crossmolina, County Mayo, is charged with the death of Angela Canavan at her home in County Sligo on 1 May 2023. The jury has already spent more than four hours over two days considering their verdict. Mr Canavan has pleaded not guilty to murder but the jury has been directed they may return verdicts of guilty of murder, not guilty, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The defence case rests on claims of self-defence and provocation. State pathologist evidence outlined multiple injuries to the deceased, including bruising to the face, neck, torso and limbs, fractured ribs, and stab wounds to both thighs. The cause of death was established as asphyxiation due to smothering and strangling.
2025-05-14 · Sligo
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard closing arguments on Wednesday concerning the death of Angela Canavan, aged fifty-eight, at her home in St John's Terrace, Sligo on May 1st, 2023. The accused, Nigel Canavan, aged thirty-nine, with an address at Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to her murder. The prosecution submitted that the accused's account of self-defence or provocation should be rejected as implausible, noting he initially denied presence at the scene before later claiming either provocation or self-defence at trial. State Pathologist evidence established the deceased died from asphyxiation due to strangulation and smothering, with additional injuries including rib fractures and stab wounds. The defence argued the accused demonstrated sustained care and affection toward his mother, suggesting provocation arising from verbal abuse during a heated altercation. The jury of ten women and two men retired to consider their verdict on Wednesday afternoon and will deliver their decision Thursday.
2025-05-13 · Sligo
A 39-year-old man has testified at the Central Criminal Court that his mother died during a struggle in which he was defending himself from her attack. Nigel Canavan, from Crossmolina, County Mayo, is charged with the murder of Angela Canavan at her home in Sligo on 1 May 2023. He has pleaded not guilty. Mr Canavan told the court his mother attacked him with a knife and struck at him with her hands and feet during a heated argument. He admitted applying pressure to her neck with his forearm during the incident, but stated this was in self-defence and that he did not intend to cause her death. Under cross-examination, he accepted that he had initially denied to gardaí that he was present when his mother suffered fatal injuries, attributing this to distress at the time. The State Pathologist concluded that Ms Canavan died from asphyxiation by smothering and manual strangulation. The trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury.
2025-05-09 · Sligo
A man accused of murdering his mother at her home in County Sligo in May 2023 told gardaí during interviews that he delayed contacting emergency services for approximately 20 minutes after discovering her body. Nigel Canavan, aged 39, of Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Angela Canavan at St John's Terrace, Sligo on 1 May 2023. The Central Criminal Court trial heard that Mr Canavan said he initially telephoned a friend before calling an ambulance, claiming he panicked and was unsure what to do. Gardaí arrested him six days after her death. Detective Garda Brian McMahon testified that during questioning at Sligo Garda Station, Mr Canavan described an altercation with his mother, who he said was intoxicated and agitated. He stated he removed a knife from her possession and subsequently heard sounds from downstairs, where he found her unconscious. Mr Canavan denied involvement in her death. State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis determined the deceased died from asphyxia. The trial continues before Justice Kerdia Naidoo and jury.
2025-05-08 · Sligo
A pathologist has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court regarding the death of a 58-year-old woman from County Sligo in May 2023. State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis told the trial of Nigel Canavan, aged 39 and with an address in Crossmolina, County Mayo, that the deceased died from external asphyxiation caused by suffocation and manual strangulation. Dr Collis outlined injuries consistent with smothering, including pinpoint haemorrhaging around the eyes and bruising to the neck bones. The deceased also sustained stab wounds to both thighs and bruises across her body. Mr Canavan has pleaded not guilty to murder at his mother's home in Sligo on 1 May 2023. Under cross-examination, the pathologist acknowledged that some injuries could have innocent explanations, including assistance provided the previous evening and the deceased's significant alcohol intoxication and medical history, which would have made her prone to bruising.
2025-05-07 · Sligo
At the Central Criminal Court, a detective told jurors that Nigel Canavan appeared nervous and evasive when questioned hours after his mother's death in Sligo on May 1, 2023. Detective Garda James Conneely met the 39-year-old accused outside Angela Canavan's home on St John's Terrace and later conducted a voluntary interview at Sligo Garda Station. Mr Canavan, with an address in Crossmolina, Co Mayo, denies murder. The prosecution alleges fatal violence and manual strangulation caused Ms Canavan's death. In his recorded statement, Mr Canavan described hearing three loud bangs while upstairs and finding his mother on the ground surrounded by broken glass and a damaged chair. He told gardai he had been staying with his mother during a bank holiday weekend after recent separation from his wife. The trial, before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury, continues tomorrow. Nigel Canavan pleaded not guilty.
2025-05-02 · Mayo
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that Nigel Canavan told his then-wife his mother "went a bit mad" and struck herself with a knife before her death. Mr Canavan, aged 39, of Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Angela Canavan at her home in County Sligo on 1 May 2023. The prosecution alleges fatal violence and manual strangulation caused her death. Claire Conroy, Mr Canavan's former spouse, testified that he described his mother swinging her cane and becoming aggressive during an altercation. He said he went upstairs and later heard thuds before discovering her dead. A friend, John Gannon, told the court Mr Canavan telephoned him that evening in distress and later asked him to corroborate a story about discussing hurling rather than disclosing details of his mother's death. Mr Gannon said he instead told gardai the truth. The trial continues before Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury.
2025-05-01 · Sligo
A trial has commenced at the Central Criminal Court concerning the death of a woman in her Sligo home. The State alleges that Nigel Canavan, aged 39, of Erris Gardens in County Mayo, strangled his mother, Angela Canavan, aged 58, on 1 May 2023. Mr Canavan has pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution opening outlined that the deceased had enjoyed a successful career as a psychotherapist before developing severe alcohol dependency. She had sustained a brain injury following a fall and required periodic care. On the day in question, Mr Canavan had returned to his mother's home after work. Gardaí subsequently discovered her body in the kitchen and dining area, with evidence suggesting violent disturbance. A pathologist is expected to testify that death resulted from manual strangulation or asphyxia. The defence maintains the accused played no role in the death, asserting he discovered his mother's body after hearing noises. The trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo.
2025-04-30 · Sligo
A jury comprising ten women and two men has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of a 39-year-old man from Crossmolina, County Mayo, who denies murdering his mother in Sligo. Nigel Canavan pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Angela Canavan at an address in St John's Terrace, County Sligo on May 1, 2023. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo presided over the arraignment. The trial is scheduled to commence the following day and is anticipated to run for approximately two weeks.
2025-03-11 · Mayo
The High Court has granted a second stay on Workplace Relations Commission proceedings within a fortnight, following an application by Vincent Maughan of Crossmolina, County Mayo. Mr Maughan, a former retained firefighter with Mayo County Council, claims he was prejudiced by the adjudicating officer and that she should have recused herself from the case. Permission for judicial review was granted, and Mr Justice Micheál P O'Higgins issued an injunction pausing the WRC hearing scheduled for today. Mr Maughan contends that the adjudication officer violated fair procedures requirements, breached public justice principles by conducting remote hearings without public accessibility, and refused recusal without allowing proper legal representation. He seeks declarations that the respondent acted unlawfully and that he is entitled to professional recording and transcription of proceedings. The case has been adjourned to April. Mr Maughan resigned from his position on 6 April 2023 and subsequently lodged complaints to the WRC regarding alleged breach of his statutory employment rights.
2022-02-08 · Mayo
A man from Crossmolina, County Mayo, has appealed his extradition to the United States, where he faces allegations of breaching bail conditions related to a previous conviction for attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes. Martin Jude Wall, aged 46, was convicted in Georgia in 2012 after pleading guilty to sending explicit images to what he believed was a thirteen-year-old girl during an undercover police operation. He subsequently fled to Ireland while on probation. The High Court ordered his extradition in October last year. At the Court of Appeal hearing, Wall's counsel argued that Georgia's sex offender legislation, which restricts residence within 300 metres of areas frequented by children, rendered him homeless and subject to inhumane conditions. The Attorney General's counsel contended that Wall would face imprisonment rather than homelessness upon return. Judgment has been reserved.
2021-11-04 · Mayo
A 46-year-old man from Crossmolina, County Mayo, has appealed an extradition order to the United States at the High Court. Martin Jude Wall was arrested in Ireland last December following his identification in a 2012 US police operation targeting online child exploitation. Wall had engaged in online contact with a profile he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, sending explicit messages and images before travelling to meet her. The profile was operated by US detectives, who apprehended him at the meeting location. In 2012, Wall pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes and received a custodial sentence followed by a 15-year probation bond. He absconded from the United States in 2014 and returned to Ireland. US authorities located him in Mayo in 2019, and his arrest warrant was executed in November of that year. Wall now faces extradition to Georgia to address allegations of breaching his probation conditions. At the High Court last month, Mr Justice Paul Burns ordered his surrender.
2021-10-11 · Mayo
The High Court has ordered the surrender of Martin Jude Wall to the United States authorities. Wall, 46, is wanted by the Chatham County Sheriff's office in Georgia for allegedly breaching the conditions of his release by fleeing to Ireland. In February 2012, Wall pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes after contacting a profile created by detectives in a sting operation. He was sentenced to detention of not less than 240 days and not more than a year, followed by a 15-year probation bond. Wall absconded in 2014 and was arrested in Ireland in December 2022. If found guilty of the breach in America, he faces the possible activation of his 15-year sentence, with 12 years and six months remaining on his probation. Mr Justice Paul Burns ruled that there was sufficient intent and actus reus for the attempted crime and found no basis to refuse surrender on fundamental rights grounds. Counsel for Wall, Mr Remy Farrell SC, argued that US sex offender registration conditions amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment under Article 3 of the Human Rights Convention, citing homelessness and employment restrictions. However, the court directed Wall's surrender to the US.
2021-05-18 · Mayo
A man arrested in Crossmolina, County Mayo, is at the centre of extradition proceedings in the High Court following his alleged breach of probation conditions in the United States. Martin Jude Wall, aged 46, was convicted in Georgia in 2012 of attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes after engaging with an undercover detective posing as a young teenager online. Wall was sentenced to probation, but absconded from the United States in 2014. He was arrested by gardaí in December 2019 following confirmation that he had been residing in Mayo. The High Court heard arguments regarding Wall's extradition. The State sought his return to face potential activation of his 15-year probation sentence. Wall's legal team opposed extradition on human rights grounds, citing the severity of conditions imposed on registered sex offenders in the United States. Justice Paul Burns granted bail in December despite Garda objections and adjourned proceedings to June 30. Martin Jude Wall pleaded guilty.
2020-12-16 · Mayo
Martin Jude Wall, 45, appeared by video-link at the High Court where Mr Justice Paul Burns granted him bail with strict conditions, fixing an extradition hearing for January 20, 2021. Wall, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes in Georgia, is wanted by US authorities for breaching his 15-year probation by fleeing to Ireland. If found guilty of the breach in America, he faces a possible 15 years imprisonment. The court noted he was an "undoubted flight risk" and "determined not to make himself amenable," yet "reluctantly" granted bail due to self-harm risks. Conditions include two independent cash sureties of €5,000 each, a €1,000 cash bond, residing at a Clontarf address, obeying a curfew, surrendering his passport, being of good behaviour, and signing daily at a garda station. Wall was remanded in custody with consent to bail. Detective Garda Robert Comerford objected to bail, citing Wall's history of absconding and homelessness in the US. Mr Remy SC argued the conviction was a state matter and Wall had lived openly in Crossmolina, Co Mayo, since 2015. Gardaí arrested Wall on December 8, 2020, executing a US arrest warrant from November 2019.