Chilling Death Threats Preceded Acid Attack Murder in Plymouth Drug Debt Case
A fitness instructor and father-of-two was doused in sulphuric acid on his Plymouth doorstep last year after a drug kingpin orchestrated the attack to demonstrate his authority, a murder trial has heard. Danny Cahalane, aged 38, died from his horrific injuries ten weeks following the assault, which prosecutors allege was motivated by substantial gambling debts owed to British drugs lord Ryan Kennedy.
Escalating Threats and Failed Kidnap Attempt
Winchester Crown Court was presented with a series of menacing text messages exchanged between Cahalane and Kennedy in the weeks leading up to the fatal incident. The communications revealed Kennedy's growing frustration over an estimated £120,000 debt, accrued after Cahalane gambled away profits from drug dealing activities. In one particularly chilling message, Kennedy stated: 'You're gonna die, you just need to die. I'm going to give them 40k extra to take the eyes out of your head.'
Prosecutor Jo Martin detailed how Kennedy became 'incensed' by Cahalane's stalling tactics and failure to establish a viable repayment plan. This anger culminated in an organised kidnap attempt on January 19, 2025, when three men confronted the victim and tried to open his car door. Witnesses described Cahalane as appearing 'wide eyed and petrified' during this encounter, from which he managed to escape.
The Fatal Acid Attack and Aftermath
Following the unsuccessful abduction, Kennedy sent another threatening text warning: 'Close call? Mate I'm telling you they gonna burn gaffes down and your gonna die.' Tragically, this threat materialised on February 21, 2025, when two men forcibly entered Cahalane's Plymouth residence and threw sulphuric acid over him, causing catastrophic burns across his entire body.
Despite receiving intensive hospital treatment for approximately ten weeks, Cahalane succumbed to his injuries on May 3, 2025. Prosecutor Martin emphasised to the court: 'There can be no doubt that Danny Cahalane was murdered. Whoever threw acid over him must have intended to, at the very least, cause him really serious bodily harm.'
Multiple Defendants and Ongoing Proceedings
Cahalane's ex-wife, Paris Wilson, aged 35, with whom he shared a child, stands trial alongside five men accused of murder. The defendants include:
- Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23
- Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23
- Israel Augustus, 26
- Isanah Sungum, 22
- Brian Kalemba, 23
All have entered not guilty pleas to the murder charges. Additionally, several defendants have denied participating in the activities of an organised crime group, while others have pleaded not guilty to related charges including attempted kidnap and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.
The court heard that Kennedy, described as the orchestrator of these events, is 'almost certainly' in Dubai and faces no current charges. Prosecutors characterised Cahalane as occupying 'a sort of middle management position in the drugs supply chain', noting that his financial difficulties were compounded when someone lower in the hierarchy fled to New Zealand without settling outstanding debts.
The trial continues as the prosecution presents evidence detailing the sequence of threats, the failed kidnap attempt, and the ultimately fatal acid attack that claimed Danny Cahalane's life.
