Woman who plotted to get 'wealthy' from ex-husband’s death guilty of manslaughter
The ex-wife of a drug dealer who was killed in an acid attack has been found guilty of manslaughter alongside another, with two more convicted of his murder
The ex-wife of a drug dealer who was killed in an acid attack in Plymouth and who aimed to get “wealthy” from his death has been found guilty of his manslaughter along with another man – with two others convicted of his murder.
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Danny Cahalane, from Plymouth, Devon, was taken to hospital following an incident at an address in Lipson Road, Plymouth, on February 21 2025.
The father-of-two died in hospital on May 3, but before his death he was able to tell police he believed his drugs “boss” had ordered the fatal attack, jurors were told.
His ex-partner and mother of his child, Paris Wilson, 35, of Plymouth, was convicted of his manslaughter along with Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, of London.
Meanwhile, Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, and Israel Augustus, 26, both of London, were found guilty of murdering Mr Cahalane.
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Two other defendants, Jude Hill, 43, of Plymouth, and Isanah Sungum, 22, of London, were found not guilty of murder or manslaughter on Thursday.
The jury returned the verdicts after 40 hours and 45 minutes of deliberations.
Wilson, Jean Mukuna, 24, and Arrone Mukuna, 25, both of London, were convicted of the attempted kidnapping of Mr Cahalane on January 19 2025, while Bakas-Sithole and Adedoja were cleared of the charge.
Meanwhile, Sungum was found guilty of being part of an organised crime gang involved in the supply of drugs, including the enforcement of drug debts.
Prosecutor Jo Martin KC told the jury at Winchester Crown Court Mr Cahalane, 38, was targeted because he owed his “boss” in the region of £120,000.
She said this dealer was a man called Ryan Kennedy – with the nickname of Frost – who operated between Thailand, Spain and Dubai and was currently believed to be in Dubai.
Ms Martin said Mr Kennedy had sent messages about having 320kg of cannabis in a shipping container, which would have a wholesale value of £960,000, but would be worth about £3.2 million if sold in single gram deals.
The prosecutor said Mr Kennedy became “incensed” at Mr Cahalane’s “stalling” and failure to repay the money, and first of all organised an attempted kidnap attempt on him on January 19, and then the fatal attack.
Ms Martin said Mr Cahalane had been able to speak to police from his hospital bed before he died from his injuries and told them he had built up the debts after one of his junior drug dealers had run off without paying him.
Ms Martin said Mr Cahalane had split “acrimoniously” with his ex-wife by 2025, and she became Mr Kennedy’s “go-to contact in Plymouth to try to put pressure on Danny to pay up, and then, to get information about Danny’s whereabouts”.
She added: “Paris Wilson was seemingly happy to give up all that information on the understanding Frost would make her wealthy.”
Mr Cahalane’s family called Danny "an outstanding father and son", adding that while the verdicts brought a sense of justice, they "do not bring Danny back”.
They said the crime has devastated their family and “torn lives apart", adding that Mr Cahalane’s mother, who died the day after him, would have been “incredibly proud to see this outcome”.
Their statement read: “Crimes like this are cruel, senseless and leave behind a ripple effect of pain that stretches far beyond the individual targeted.
“The consequences are not limited to those directly involved, they are carried by families, children and loved ones for a lifetime.
“To those who are involved in or considering involvement in organised crime, particularly drug-related activity, I would say this: The reality is not what you think. It does not bring respect or success. It brings destruction, loss and irreversible harm. Lives are ruined, families are broken and the consequences are permanent.”
Sungum, Jean Mukuna, Arrone Mukuna and Hill will be sentenced on Friday, while Augustus, Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole and Wilson are expected to be sentenced on June 8.
Devon and Cornwall Police Detective Inspector Rachel Blanchard said: “The fatal attack on Danny, and the incident in Oreston, were both organised with the assistance of someone who knew him well.
“This was an extremely challenging investigation, with the evidence revealing a sophisticated and wide-reaching organised crime network operating in Plymouth, London and beyond.”