Drug dealer Danny Cahalane, 38, died in hospital after being attacked at his home in Plymouth, Devon, on 21 February 2025
18:40, 17 May 2026Updated 18:40, 17 May 2026
Danny died in hospital from his injuries – and his ex-girlfriend had plotted the attack on him(Image: Facebook)
A father died in agony after having acid thrown in his face in a callous ambush. Now his ex-girlfriend and a group of gang members are being sentenced over a crime that tore a family apart.
Paris Wilson now awaits sentencing, after being convicted over her former partner, Danny Cahalane;s death alongside Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, of London, Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, of Neasden, London, and Israel Augustus, 26, of Tottenham, London.
Wilson, 35, helped orchestrate the attack in the middle of the night at the home they once shared, which left Danny suffering horrific injuries to his face and neck. The corrosive burns led to numerous operations as he fought for his life in the hospital, before he died almost three months later – but not before he could convey a message that would bring his killers to justice.
READ MORE: Acid attack victim dies in hospital months after horror home incident and ‘kidnap bid’
Paris Wilson was Danny’s ex-girlfriend and was behind the attack(Image: Facebook)
While his young daughter slept at their Plymouth home on February 21, 2025, fitness instructor Danny, 38, opened the door at 3:55 am, only to have sulphuric acid thrown in his face. Danny was taken to hospital following the attack. The father-of-two died in hospital on May 3 but before his death he was able to tell police he believed his drugs “boss” had ordered the fatal attack, jurors were told.
At Winchester Crown Court, his former partner Paris Wilson, 35, of Plymouth, was convicted of his manslaughter along with Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, of London. Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, of Neasden, London, and Israel Augustus, 26, of Tottenham, London, were found guilty of murdering Mr Cahalane.
Jean Mukuna, 24, from Camden, London, has now been jailed for 52 months for being the driver in an attempted kidnap attempt of Mr Cahalane on January 19 2025, aimed at recouping his drug debts a month before the fatal attack.
The jail term for the student of contemporary music included the sentence for an offence of the possession of cocaine worth £1,760 with intent to supply. His brother, Arrone Mukuna, 25, also from Camden, was sentenced to 16 months for his role as “back-up” in the attempted kidnap.
Paris Wilson was charged with conspiracy to murder Danny Cahalane(Image: Carl Eve/PlymouthLive)
Sentencing them, the judge, Ms Justice Norton, told them: “This was an offence that required a high degree of planning, it required coordination to ensure everyone was in the right place at the right time.”
Isanah Sungum, 22, of Edmonton, London, was jailed for 26 months for being part of the organised crime gang involved in the supply of drugs by supplying a stolen car to the group and arranging transport.
And Jude Hill, 43, of Plymouth, who is the sister-in-law of Mr Cahalane, was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to the supply of cannabis.
The judge said that Hill denied being part of the organised crime gang but said she had “multiple close contacts” with it. The judge added that she had a “management role” in supplying cannabis to the UK from Thailand where she lived part of the time.
Ms Justice Norton told her: “The volumes you were concerned in supplying were considerably more than street-dealing quantities.” Jo Martin KC, prosecuting, told the trial that Mr Cahalane, 38, was targeted because he owed his “boss” in the region of £120,000.
She said this dealer was a man called Ryan Kennedy – with the nickname of Frost – who operated between Thailand, Spain and Dubai and was currently believed to be in Dubai.
The prosecutor said Mr Kennedy became “incensed” at Mr Cahalane’s “stalling” and failure to repay the money and first of all organised the attempted kidnap attempt on January 19 2025, and then the fatal attack. Ms Martin said Mr Cahalane had been able to speak to police from his hospital bed before he died from his injuries and told them he had built up the debts after one of his junior drug dealers had run off without paying him.
He also said he had lost more of the money through gambling. Speaking after his death, Mr Cahalane’s family said in a tribute: “Danny was an outstanding father and son.”