Drug dealer attacked with 'strong' acid over debt

A drug dealer was attacked with "strong" sulphuric acid before dying of his injuries over a £120,000 debt to his boss, a court has heard.

Danny Cahalane, 38, was attacked in the bedroom of his Plymouth home by two men before one returned minutes later to throw acid in his face at his front door, Winchester Crown Court heard.

An ambulance crew found Cahalane "was clearly in considerable pain", after the attacks on 21 February 2025, said Jo Martin, KC, prosecuting. Cahalane died in hospital from his injuries on 3 May 2025.

Ten people are on trial charged with offences including murder, manslaughter, attempted kidnapping and being part of a gang involved in the supply of drugs.

Cahalane was a drug dealer who owed £120,000 to another drug dealer further up the supply chain, the jury has been told.

Dubai-based drug boss Ryan Kennedy, known as Frost, had repeatedly demanded the money from Cahalane, issuing a series of threats and eventually telling the Plymouth father of two: "You're gonna die".

A series of messages between Cahalane's ex-wife Paris Wilson, 35, from Plymouth, and her mother suggested she was being offered money to tell him where Cahalane was.

Wilson allegedly told her mother that she was "getting a nice drink out of this".

After a series of unsuccessful demands for the money from Kennedy, the prosecution said on 16 February "everything changed" for Cahalane and planning for the attack started.

"Frost really has given up getting the money back, but that means he has to ensure that Danny doesn't get away with making a fool of him," said Martin.

A Renault Arkana was stolen from London and given false plates before two men from Kennedy's drugs gang went to Plymouth, followed later by two more, staying at the home of Jenna Said, 39, in Ernesettle in Plymouth.

At 03:35 GMT on 21 February the Renault driven by Israel Augustus, 26, from London, with another man in the passenger seat headed towards Cahalane's rented Lipson Road home.

CCTV showed both heading to the rear of Cahalane's home where he and his daughter were sleeping.

Cahalane "was woken up by two guys assaulting him with a screwdriver or knives", said Martin.

He later told police how he thought he had been attacked with acid and "whacking one" with a screwdriver and "screaming at the men as he ushered them downstairs" before they left.

Acid was found around the bed and on the bed by police, the court was told.

Outside, a phone conversation with one of the men was captured on CCTV, with a voice heard telling them: "You should go back."

Augustus then stayed in the car while the other man went round to the front of the house where he confronted Cahalane in his doorstep and attacked him with acid from a Starbucks cup.

The CCTV picked up sounds of screaming and Asante is seen running back to the car and shouting: "Go, go, go!"

Cahalane told police he got to front door of the house and saw a grey saloon speeding off down Lipson Road.

Augustus and Asante later abandoned the car on the side of the M4 after running out of petrol, the court was told.

Three men who were walking along Lipson Road went to the aid of Cahalane who was shouting: "It's burning, it's burning."

One man described how he touched Cahalane's back with his hand and that a short time later his own hand started to burn.

Neighbours were also woken by the screaming and dialled 999.

An ambulance crew, who nearly had an accident with the fleeing men's car, "found Danny was clearly in considerable pain", said Martin.

The crew poured water over him and gave him morphine before he was taken to hospital.

Samples taken from the scene showed it was a "strong acid", she told the jury.

Acid was a "very effective weapon" for an organised criminal gang, because while it may not end in death it will end in someone being scarred for life, she said.

Wilson and Jude Hill, 43, from Plymouth and Augustus, Isanah Sungum, 22, Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Ramarnee Bakas, 23, and Brian Kalemba, 23, all from London, are charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Said, Arrone Mukuna, 25, Jean Mukuna, 23, from London, Adedoja, Bakas, Augustus, Wilson, Sungum and Kalemba have been charged with being part of an organised crime gang.

Adedoja, Bakas, Wilson, Jean Mukuna and Arrone Mukuna are all charged with attempted kidnapping and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.

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