Man helped alleged acid attacker as he 'felt bad'

A man accused of murder told the court he helped his friend to leave the country after he allegedly threw sulphuric acid in a fatal attack, because he "felt bad for him".

Danny Cahalane, 38, was attacked with acid at his home on Lipson Road, Plymouth, on 21 February 2025 and died in hospital on 3 May. Seven men and two women are on trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Ramarnee Bakas, 23, from London, is charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group, and attempted kidnapping.

Bakas told the jury he found out about the acid attack after it happened and said it made him "feel angry".

Bakas told the jury he was a low-level cannabis dealer and pizza delivery driver.

The court heard one of the men who went to Plymouth was 23-year old Kelvin Asante, from Eresby Place in London.

Bakas said Asante asked him to collect a car on 16 February 2025, so he could travel to Plymouth to collect some money on behalf of a drugs gang boss called Ryan Kennedy, known as Frost.

Bakas told the jury that, following the attack, Asante told him he "had thrown acid on someone" because he was told to by Kennedy.

"It made me feel angry," Bakas told the court. "He had not told us from the beginning and he kept it from us."

Bakas claimed Asante had injuries to his face and cuts on his hands. He said he later booked Asante a ferry to Ireland using his own details.

"I felt bad for him because I could see that what he had done wasn't the person that I knew," he said.

"At the time I wasn't thinking properly for one.

"And for two, I just felt bad for him."

Paris Wilson, 35, and Jude Hill, 43, from Plymouth, Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Israel Augustus, 26, Isanah Sungum, 22, Ramarnee Bakas, 23 and Brian Kalemba, 23, all from London, are charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.

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

Adedoja, Bakas, Wilson, Jean Mukuna and Arrone Mukuna are also charged with attempted kidnapping.

The trial continues.

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