Fitness Instructor Murdered in Acid Attack Over £120k Drug Debt, Court Hears
A fitness instructor and father-of-two was murdered in a horrific doorstep acid attack over a substantial £120,000 debt, a court has been told. The debt reportedly stemmed from the victim gambling away money belonging to a British drug kingpin operating from Dubai.
Details of the Fatal Attack
Danny Cahalane, aged 38, was doused in sulphuric acid inside his own home in Plymouth, Devon, in the early hours of February 21, 2025. Prosecutors detailed that two men broke into his property, and by the time they drove away, Mr Cahalane had been subjected to the brutal acid assault. The corrosive substance caused severe burns across his entire body.
Despite receiving extensive hospital treatment for approximately ten weeks, Mr Cahalane succumbed to his catastrophic injuries on May 3, 2025. The prosecution asserted there is no doubt this was a murder, stating the perpetrators must have intended to cause at least really serious bodily harm.
The Debt and the Alleged Orchestrator
The court heard that Mr Cahalane, described as a middle-management figure in a drugs supply chain, owed money to drugs kingpin Ryan Kennedy, known by the nickname 'Frost'. The debt, estimated at around £120,000, accrued after Mr Cahalane gambled with profits from drug dealing. Messages presented in court showed Kennedy was deeply unhappy about the unpaid sum.
Prosecutor Jo Martin told jurors the murder was orchestrated by Kennedy to enforce his debt and show Danny Cahalane who was boss. Kennedy himself is not on trial and has not been charged, as he is believed to be in Dubai.
The Defendants and Related Charges
Mr Cahalane's ex-wife, Paris Wilson, 35, with whom he shares a child, is among eleven individuals on trial. She appeared at Winchester Crown Court alongside five other men charged with murder:
- Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23
- Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23
- Israel Augustus, 26
- Isanah Sungum, 22
- Brian Kalemba, 23
All defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder. Several, including Wilson, also face additional charges of attempted kidnap and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent against Mr Cahalane, to which they have also entered not guilty pleas.
Escalating Threats Before the Attack
The court was informed of escalating threats in the months preceding the acid attack. Mr Cahalane had reportedly told police he was in significant debt to Kennedy and had attempted, unsuccessfully, to organise a repayment plan, resorting instead to stalling and lying.
On January 19, 2025, men allegedly acting on Kennedy's orders tried to rip Mr Cahalane's door open as he attempted to shut it. Kennedy subsequently messaged him: Close call? Mate I'm telling you they gonna burn gaffes down and your gonna die.
Following the acid attack, Mr Cahalane himself told police the situation had left him in the s*** with Kennedy. The trial continues.
