A mother conspired with a Dubai-based drugs kingpin to orchestrate the murder of her ex-husband in a brutal doorstep acid attack, motivated by financial gain and personal vengeance, a court has heard today.
Acrimonious Breakdown And Deadly Conspiracy
Paris Wilson, a 35-year-old probation worker from Plymouth, allegedly helped plot the killing of her fitness instructor ex-partner Danny Cahalane, 38, following what prosecutors described as the 'acrimonious' breakdown of their marriage. The court heard that Wilson 'fed information' about Mr Cahalane's whereabouts to a powerful drugs gang leader known as Frost, to whom Mr Cahalane owed £120,000 after gambling away substantial sums of drug money.
Exchange For Wealth And Belief He 'Deserved' Hurt
Prosecutor Jo Martin KC told Winchester Crown Court that Wilson participated in the conspiracy for two primary reasons. Firstly, she was promised financial reward – specifically 'a couple of grand' from Frost. Secondly, she reportedly believed her ex-husband 'deserved' to be harmed. 'What can be clear from these messages is that Paris Wilson did set Danny up, and she set him up for Frost, and 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,' Ms Martin stated. Wilson reportedly shook her head in the dock as this allegation was presented.
The Fatal Attack And Organised Crime Network
Mr Cahalane, described in court as a drug dealer, was attacked at his home in Plymouth, Devon, last year. Two men broke into his property on February 21, 2025, and doused him with sulphuric acid before fleeing. He suffered catastrophic burns across his entire body and died in hospital ten weeks later, on May 3, 2025, from his horrific injuries.
The court heard that Frost – whose real name is Ryan Kennedy – is a drugs lord operating from Dubai who orchestrated the hit to demonstrate his authority. 'Frost was trying to put pressure on Danny to pay up. Through her, Frost could get information about Danny's whereabouts,' the prosecutor explained. Mr Kennedy is not on trial and has not been charged, as he is believed to be in Dubai.
Previous Ambush And Escalating Threats
The fatal acid attack followed an earlier attempted ambush on January 19, 2025, which Wilson is also accused of facilitating. On that date, men allegedly acting on Frost's orders tried to rip open Mr Cahalane's car door as he was dropping off their daughter at Wilson's house. The prosecution contends that only Wilson could have known his precise movements that morning.
Text messages presented in court revealed Wilson's communications with her mother, Karen Wilson, about the conspiracy. In one exchange on January 8, Wilson wrote: 'Like Frost is losing his mind....Frost is saying he will pay me if I find where he is today...he said he will pay me a few grand and double what Dan owes you and give you an oz....so 600 and a oz.' She added that Frost was 'minted' and that Mr Cahalane was 'in so much debt'.
Multiple Defendants And Charges
In total, ten people are currently on trial at Winchester Crown Court in connection with the case. Paris Wilson faces charges including:
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group
- Attempted kidnap
- Attempted grievous bodily harm with intent
The other defendants accused of murder include five men – Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, Israel Augustus, 26, Isanah Sungum, 22, and Brian Kalemba, 23 – and one woman, Jude Hill, 43. All have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Chilling Messages Reveal Motive
Further text messages exposed Wilson's mindset during the conspiracy. Referring to Mr Cahalane's new partner, she wrote to her mother: 'They said they'd grab her and get her to take them to him..and she's a cunt tbh mum so I don't care.' In another revealing message, she expressed: 'I'm worried about my karma, but at least nobody but Dan gets hurt, and he did fuck massively with my life...and he deserves it.'
The prosecution emphasised that Wilson was fully aware of the severity of the threats. 'Paris Wilson knew that Frost meant business. She knew the level of threat that Frost was issuing to Danny,' Ms Martin told the court. On January 14, Wilson informed her mother that Frost had messaged saying: 'get that bum to call me he's dead.'
The trial continues at Winchester Crown Court as the prosecution presents its case against the ten defendants involved in this complex organised crime conspiracy.
