Ex-wife said victim 'deserved to be hurt' after acid killing over £120k drug debt, court hears
An ex-wife believed her former husband "deserved to be hurt" after he died soaked in acid over a £120,000 debt he owed to a drug kingpin, a court has heard.
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Danny Cahalane, 38, died in hospital after he was attacked with sulphuric acid at his home on Lipson Road, Plymouth, on 21 February 2025.
In the lead-up to the attack, Mr Cahalane was facing "real threats" from gang boss Ryan Kennedy, known as "Frost", who allegedly attempted to kidnap the fitness instructor.
Read more: Man who sent ‘utterly depraved’ messages planning to rape children jailed
And Paris Wilson, who is charged with his murder, allegedly provided information to Kennedy about Cahalane's whereabouts.
Nine other people are on trial at Winchester Crown Court charged with offences including murder, manslaughter, attempted kidnapping and being part of a gang involved in the supply of drugs.
Terrifying CCTV footage shows Cahalane being confronted by three of Frost's gang members after he dropped off his daughter at Wilson's house in Plymouth on January 19, 2025.
In the video, which was played to the jury, Cahalane is met by Jean and Arrone Mukuna and a third man Kelvin Asante at he returns to his car.
Cahalane managed to get away, but was subsequently sent messages by Kennedy saying: "I'm a millionaire I ain't stopping until your [sic] dead."
He had been promised money, but Kennedy warned: "I'll get your location again. And your [sic] gonna get shot."
In another video seen by the court, which was allegedly filmed at the home of Cahalane's mother and sent to him Cahalane with the heading: "You have a couple of hours."
Jurors were also read messages sent from Cahalane to Kennedy, where he told the drug lord "You're terrorising me bruv", and insisted he would pay him back.
Kennedy replied: "Alright cool let's go to war... Keep the money."
Prosecutor Jo Martin KC said Wilson was key to providing information to the gang boss and she gave it "on the understanding Frost would make her wealthy".
“Paris Wilson set Danny up,” she said. “She set him up for Frost. She set him up for two reasons — because she was going to get paid by Frost — a couple of grand — and because she thought Danny deserved to be hurt.”
Wilson sent Facebook messages to her mother, in which she said Kennedy was "losing his mind" over the drug debts and "he just can't handle being disrespected".
She said of her ex-husband "he deserves it", due to the way he treated her, the court was told.
Martin alleged Wilson and her mother were "actively thinking about ways of finding out where Danny lives and where he might be at any given time".
His whereabouts - including on 19 January when he was confronted outside Wilson's house - had been "fed back to Frost" as part of an attempted kidnapping, prosecutors allege.
"Those three men were not just there to have a quiet word with Danny," she said.
"They were there to put the frighteners on Danny."
Prosecutors said the attempted kidnapping failed and Wilson sent a series of messages to Cahalane and her mother denying her involvement.
However, in interviews with detectives following Cahalane's death, she admitted she had told Kennedy her address and when Cahalane would be there.
The court heard Wilson was initially "treated as a witness" and was first contacted by police when Cahalane was attacked with acid as their daughter was with him at the time.
Jude Hill, 43, Israel Augustus, 26, Isanah Sungum, 22, Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Ramarnee Bakas, 23, and Brian Kalemba, 23, all from London, are also charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
Jenna Said, 39, from Plymouth, Arrone Mukuna, 25, Jean Mukuna, 23, from London, Adedoja, Bakas, Augustus, Wilson, Sungum and Kalemba have been charged with being part of an organised crime gang.
Adedoja, Bakas, Wilson, Jean Mukuna and Arrone Mukuna are all charged with attempted kidnapping and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.
The trial continues.