Mum recalls night son was 'gunned down' on doorstep

A mother has recalled racing for safety the night her son was gunned down at their home.

Neil Canney’s mum told how her 37-year-old son had gone to the front door of their house thinking his friend was one of six individuals outside the property in Greenock, Inverclyde.

The 62-year-old had been home with family — including two young children — when she heard “a bang,” quickly followed by another.

The mum told jurors at the High Court in Glasgow: “We obviously knew that it was a gun. They were firing a gun.”

Ms Canney was giving evidence at the trial of six men accused of murdering Neil on February 23, 2023.

Jack Benson, 24, Dale Russell, 31, Martin McCusker, 41, Brendan Balloch, 25, Kieran Hendry, 26, and Michael Munro, 27, all deny the charge.

It is claimed that, while acting along with another, they repeatedly discharged a firearm at Neil and shot him in the head.

The six have also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of the others in the house that night.

Ms Canney was the first witness in the trial, which started on Thursday.

Testifying behind a screen, the mum told how Neil had been staying with her at the time.

Other relatives – including her elder son – were also there that night.

Ms Canney had come home after a 12-hour shift working as a care assistant.

She remembered chatting and having a coffee with those present, split between the living room and kitchen.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC asked the witness did she later become aware of “something outside”.

Ms Canney said her granddaughter had noticed people in the street and said to her: “Gran, who is that?”

Ms Canney then told jurors: “I looked out. There were five figures at the bottom of the stairs and one at the side of my car on a bike.”

She said Neil then came from the kitchen, also had a look and believed one of the group was a friend, who lived nearby.

The witness stated: “He went to answer the door and I sat back down.”

But, asked by Mr Cameron what then happened, she added: “A couple of seconds later there was a loud bang then another bang.”

Ms Canney told how she immediately “grabbed” the two children sitting on the couch.

She shouted at her granddaughter to “get everyone on the floor” in the safety of the kitchen.

“I came out after the banging stopped,” she said,

“We did not know where Neil was.

“When I opened the door, he was lying on the hall floor. There was quite a lot of blood about. He was not moving and I called the emergency services.”

She recalled her stricken son being on his front. Despite being a first-aider, the mum admitted she had been too traumatised to turn Neil onto his back.

Another relative and a friend of Neil’s soon arrived to help. He was given CPR at the scene before emergency crews arrived.

He was taken to hospital. Ms Canney recalled being told in the early hours that Neil had passed away.

The witness told Mr Cameron she did not recognise any of the individuals, who had been dressed in dark clothes.

Ms Canney’s granddaughter later told the trial that she recalled seeing a “flash” that night after Neil had gone to the front door. The 23-year-old said she then “froze”.

She also remembered a number of bangs. This witness stated she was unsure how many people had been outside, but that they had their faces covered.

The trial, before judge Lady Drummond, continues.