Danny Cahalane died after having sulfuric acid thrown at him at his home in Lipson Road, Plymouth, in February last year. His young daughter was sleeping in the room next door. The father of two died in hospital after 10 weeks of treatment.
Paris Wilson, 35, was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted kidnapping after a four-month trial at Winchester Crown Court and sentenced to nine years in prison. She was involved in orchestrating an attempted kidnap of Mr Cahalane on January 19, 2025, and supplied information in the lead up to his killing.
Co-defendants convicted
Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, of Neasden, and Israel Augustus, 27, of Tottenham, both north London, were found guilty of murdering Cahalane. They were both jailed for life, serving a minimum of 31 and 30 years. Ramarnee Bakas, 24, of London, was jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of manslaughter.
Drug debt behind killing
The court heard that Cahalane owed his “boss” - a drug dealer, Ryan Kennedy, nicknamed Frost - around £120,000, and this was the reason he was targeted. Cahalane did not pay back the cash, and Kennedy became “incensed” at his “stalling”, Jo Martin KC, prosecuting, said.
After splitting “acrimoniously” from her husband, Wilson became 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”, the court heard. Wilson fed information on where Cahalane was before the attack, also telling Frost where Cahalane would be before the kidnap attempt. A “couple of grand” bought Wilson’s assistance, and she thought her ex “deserved” to get hurt, the court heard.
In police video footage, Wilson said Cahalane was a “bad man who brought it on himself”. She added that she did not think the attack would be “anything more than a punch in the face”, The Telegraph reported.
Judge’s sentencing remarks
The judge, Ms Justice Norton, told Wilson: “While you yourself did not deal drugs, from evidence placed before the jury and messages to your mother, you were clearly happy to associate and provide assistance to those who do. “That assistance provided details to Frost of Danny Cahalane’s whereabouts thereby allowing the attack to take place. “You also used contact arrangements with your daughter to set up Danny Cahalane for an attempted kidnap a month earlier.” She added: “Whatever your motivation, whether money, security or revenge, in that moment your main concern was yourself.”
