A mother accused of orchestrating her ex-husband's murder in a brutal doorstep acid attack has told a court she believed he would merely receive a "punch in the face" after she shared his location with a drugs kingpin. Paris Wilson, 35, denied planning the murder of Danny Cahalane, who was doused in acid at his Plymouth home following the acrimonious collapse of their marriage.
Business Development Worker Allegedly Fed Information to Kingpin
Wilson, a business development worker, allegedly provided details about Mr Cahalane to a drug lord known as "Frost," real name Ryan Kennedy, to whom Mr Cahalane owed £120,000 after gambling away money. The court heard that Wilson communicated with Kennedy over Snapchat, where she was offered payment for her ex-husband's address.
"I Certainly Never Foresaw Anything More Than a Punch"
Today at Winchester Crown Court, Wilson testified that she only expected Mr Cahalane to get into a physical altercation. She stated, "I certainly never foresaw anything more than a punch in the face. A better way to say it was that he would get into a fight." She confirmed discussing with her mother using the money from Kennedy to fund a trip to Turkey, admitting, "I could have done with the money to be honest because Danny wasn't giving me money."
Acid Attack Led to Death After Ten Weeks
Mr Cahalane, a drug dealer, was attacked in February last year when two men allegedly broke into his Plymouth home and threw sulphuric acid over his body. He endured ten weeks of hospital treatment before succumbing to his injuries in May. Kennedy, operating from Dubai, orchestrated the hit to demonstrate "who was boss," jurors were informed. Kennedy is not on trial and remains uncharged, likely in Dubai.
Relationship Built and Destroyed
Wilson and Mr Cahalane met while he was incarcerated, developing a relationship after his release. They co-founded a Crossfit gym, which Wilson described as doing "really well" and providing a comfortable living. The couple had a daughter together, but their relationship deteriorated after Mr Cahalane's arrest for drug possession, which Wilson said felt like it "harmed everything that we built." She expressed mortification at police and others visiting their gym, damaging their community reputation.
Nine Defendants on Trial for Multiple Charges
In total, nine individuals are on trial at Winchester Crown Court. Wilson faces charges of murder, manslaughter, participating in an organised crime group, attempted kidnap, and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. Other defendants include five men from London and one woman from Plymouth, all pleading not guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution asserts Wilson set up Mr Cahalane by revealing his whereabouts on January 19, 2025, leading to a threat where men attempted to rip his car door open.
Messages Reveal Financial Motive and Hostility
In January, the court heard Wilson messaged her mother, stating, "Frost is saying he will pay me if I find where he is today... he said he will pay me a few grand." She added that Kennedy was "minted" and expressed indifference toward Mr Cahalane's new partner, saying, "I don't care." Wilson also remarked, "I'm worried about my karma, but at least nobody but Dan gets hurt, and he did f*** massively with my life...and he deserves it."
Background and Career of the Accused
Wilson, who holds a political science degree and a Master's in public administration, was working in business development for Briggs Marine by 2025. She unexpectedly became pregnant during a Biomedical science degree in Portsmouth, later switching fields. The trial continues as defendants deny various charges related to the organised crime group and attempted kidnap.
