Mother Accused of Acid Attack Murder Plot Denies Involvement in Court
A mother standing trial for allegedly orchestrating her ex-husband's murder in a brutal doorstep acid attack told him he was 'insane' to think she was involved, claiming she would never endanger their child, Winchester Crown Court heard today.
Drug Debt and Organised Crime Connections
Danny Cahalane, a 38-year-old described by prosecutors as 'middle management in the drugs supply chain', found himself 'in the s***' with a British drugs lord operating from Dubai. The court heard that Ryan Kennedy, known in criminal circles as 'Frost', had threatened to kill Cahalane over an unpaid debt of approximately £120,000. This substantial sum resulted from Cahalane gambling away profits from drug dealing, compounded by a subordinate fleeing to New Zealand without settling owed money.
The Escalating Threats and Attacks
The prosecution detailed a series of escalating incidents leading to the fatal attack. On January 19, 2025, men allegedly acting on Kennedy's orders attempted to force their way into Cahalane's Plymouth home, trying to rip his door open as he struggled to shut it. Kennedy subsequently messaged Cahalane with a chilling warning: 'Close call? Mate I'm telling you they gonna burn gaffes down and you're gonna die.'
Then, on February 21, 2025, Cahalane was ambushed at his own home and doused with acid. He sustained severe injuries and died in hospital ten weeks later on May 3. Prosecutors assert that Kennedy orchestrated this attack to demonstrate 'who was boss' in their criminal hierarchy.
The Ex-Wife's Alleged Role and Denials
Paris Wilson, 35, Cahalane's ex-wife and mother of his child, stands accused of murder alongside five other men. Prosecutors allege she lied about her involvement, telling her mother days before the attack that she was 'setting Danny up' at her address. Following the incident, Wilson sent Cahalane a series of messages expressing apparent shock and innocence.
Prosecutor Jo Martin KC told the court: 'She told Danny that if he thinks she has anything to do with it, then he is insane as she is [the child]'s carer and wouldn't put [her] at risk.' Wilson similarly messaged her mother, claiming 'there was some black guys here who tried to grab Dan' and insisting 'it genuinely wasn't me...but now I'm scared people know my address.'
Police Interviews and Changing Accounts
The court heard that in the early hours following the acid attack, police contacted Wilson to collect the child she shared with Cahalane. Initially, she told investigators she knew very little about the January incident. However, she eventually admitted to police that she had given Kennedy her address and informed him when Cahalane would be there.
Ms Martin explained Wilson's justification for her initial deception: 'She said that the reason she lied to the police in her interview was because she didn't want social services to know - in her words "I didn't want Social Services to think that I knew anything about crime, full stop. Let alone about this kind of level of organised crime that this was."'
Despite this admission, Wilson maintained that although she had been in contact with Kennedy and understood his character, she did not anticipate who would arrive or what they might do to Cahalane, insisting she never wanted him harmed.
Co-Defendants and Charges
The five men jointly accused of murder with Wilson are:
- Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23
- Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23
- Israel Augustus, 26
- Isanah Sungum, 22
- Brian Kalemba, 23
All defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder charges. Additionally, Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole, Wilson, Jean Mukuna (23), and Arrone Mukuna (25) have denied charges of attempted kidnap and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent against Cahalane.
Kennedy, believed to be residing in Dubai, has not been charged with any crimes related to this case. The trial continues as the court examines the complex web of organised crime, drug debts, and alleged betrayal that prosecutors claim led to a man's horrific death.
