Ex-wife among seven on trial for murder after drug dealer killed in acid attack in Plymouth
Danny Cahalane, died in May 2025 following the incident in Plymouth in February that year
Last updated 22nd Jan 2026
The ex-wife of a drug dealer who was killed in an acid attack has gone on trial with six others charged with his murder which was ordered by his "boss" for failing to pay £120,000 in drug debts, a court has heard.
Danny Cahalane, from Plymouth, Devon, was taken to hospital following the incident at the address in Lipson Road, Plymouth, on February 21 2025.
The father of two died in hospital on May 3 2025.
Jo Martin KC, prosecuting, told the jury that the 38-year-old was targeted because he owed his "boss" a "large amount of money".
She alleged 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.
Ms Martin said that Mr Kennedy had sent messages about having 320kg of cannabis in a shipping container which would have a wholesale value of £960,000 but would be worth about £3.2 million if sold in single gram deals.
The prosecutor said that Mr Kennedy became "incensed" at Mr Cahalane's "stalling" and failure to repay the money and first of all organised a kidnap attempt on him on January 19 2025, and then the fatal attack.
She said: "What does become abundantly clear from the messages is that Danny owed Frost in the region of £120,000, and Frost was not happy about that.
"Danny was also clearly not capable of finding the money and he, throughout the messages, gives excuses and tries to find ways to delay the need to hand over money.
"And all that happens is that Frost becomes increasingly incensed and agitated."
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 that he had built up the debts after one of his junior drug dealers had run off without paying him.
He also said that he had lost more of the money through gambling.
Ms Martin said: "He said that he knew that the man behind the attack on him was called Ryan Kennedy who had the nickname Frost.
"Danny said he had known Frost from when he, Frost, was a child. He had known him from growing up on a council estate - the Rockingham Estate in south-east London, just near the Elephant and Castle."
Ms Martin said that messages on Mr Cahalane's phone showed threats from Mr Kennedy.
One states: "Your gonna die....U jus need to die....You done me £80K...they coming up now...I'm gonna give them extra 40k to come and take your eyes out you'r head."
She said that Mr Cahalane responded by saying "talking about switching me off, I've got the 46 covered, sorting for you, been long, I'm telling you I got my little girl my man is sorting tomorrow".
Eight minutes after the failed kidnapping attempt on January 19, Mr Kennedy sent a message from Dubai saying: "Close call? Mate I'm telling you they gonna burn gaffes down and your gonna die", the court heard.
Describing the second attack which killed Mr Cahalane, Ms Martin said: "In the early hours of the morning of February 21 2025 two men broke into the home address of the victim Danny Cahalane.
"By the time the two men had driven off, Danny Cahalane had been the victim of an acid attack - sulphuric acid being thrown on him, burning into his whole body.
"Despite being treated in hospital for the next 10 weeks, Danny Cahalane died on May 3 2025 as a result of the horrific injuries he had received.
"There can be no doubt that Danny Cahalane was murdered.
"Whoever threw acid over him must have intended, at the very least, to cause him really serious bodily harm."
She continued: "It was because Danny Cahalane was a drug dealer in Plymouth who owed a large amount of money to another drug dealer further up the chain of command.
"That man - a man you will get to know as Frost but whose real name is Ryan Kennedy - not only wanted his money back but also wanted to teach Danny Cahalane a very significant lesson for his lack of respect."
A total of 10 defendants are on trial, with seven of these accused of Mr Cahalane's murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
They are Paris Wilson, 35, of Plymouth; Jude Hill, 43, of Plymouth; Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, of Neasden, London; Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, of London; Israel Augustus, 26, of Tottenham, London; Isanah Sungum, 22, of Edmonton, London; and Brian Kalemba, 23, of Barking, London.
Five of the defendants are charged with the attempted kidnapping and attempted grievous bodily harm of Mr Cahalane on January 19 2025.
They are Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole and Wilson along with Jean Mukuna, 23, and Arrone Mukuna, 25, both of Camden, London.
Nine of the defendants are also charged with being involved in an organised crime gang involved in the supply of drugs including enforcement of drug debts between January 1 2025 and April 11 2025.
They are Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole, Augustus, Wilson, Sungum, Kalemba, Jean and Arrone Mukuna and Jenna Said, 39, of Plymouth.
Speaking after his death, Mr Cahalane's family said in a tribute: "Danny was an outstanding father and son."