Winchester Crown Court heard messages between Danny Cahalane and ex-wife Paris Wilson in the weeks before an alleged kidnap attempt, as seven of ten defendants face murder charges
A jury has been shown messages from the ex-wife of a man who died after being doused with acid, in which she claimed she knew nothing about a kidnap attempt on him – despite seeing messages from her to her mother.
The trial of ten people – seven men from London and three women from Plymouth – continued today (January 30) at Winchester Crown Court. Seven of the ten are accused of 38 year old Danny Cahalane’s murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
Lead prosecutor Joanna Martin KC previously told the jury that Danny, who died on May 3, 2025, following an attack on his home in Lipson Road, Plymouth in the early hours of February 21, 2025, was a “drug dealer in Plymouth who owed a large amount of money to another drug dealer further up the chain of command”.
Danny admitted to police he had also gambled away the profits, including money which was meant to have gone to a drugs boss, named in court as Ryan Kennedy, also known as ‘Frost’. The court has previously heard that Frost, from London, is believed to currently be in Dubai.
The jury was shown a series of messages between Danny and his ex-wife Paris Wilson, who is one of those accused of his murder, discussing parenting arrangements, maintenance payments and weekend care arrangements in the weeks leading up to January 19, 2025, the day an alleged kidnap attempt is made on the 38 year old outside Paris’ home on The Quay, Oreston. At one point, Paris warns Danny to “genuinely be careful who you disrespect”, cautioning him that “you risk losing everything because you’ve not been behaving correctly to people.”, reports Plymouth Live.
On 14 January, she advises him not to squander the new year, reminding him of his own business. She penned: “I’ve seen you do 1,000 burpees, save £100,000. I’ve seen so much more than what you are lately”.
She then instructs him on when he should arrive at her home on The Quay on 19 January to drop off a person, telling him to “be there for 10A.M”
Lead prosecutor Joanna Martin KC discussed messages exchanged between Danny Cahalane and his ex-wife, Paris Wilson, shortly after the alleged kidnap attempt. The jury was presented with messages from the ex-wife vehemently denying she had set Danny up.
At approximately 10.13am on January 19, 2025, after dropping off an individual at The Quay, Oreston, in accordance with their agreement, Danny sent a message to Paris Wilson stating, “I can’t believe it”. She retorted, “Who was that? Dan, don’t bring your s*** here. This isn’t that kind of place”.
He responded: “Paris you know exactly who it was”, further adding “telling people my address and whereabouts is wild”.
She furiously hit back: “What the f*** are you on about? I could have given your stupid girlfriend’s address ages ago.” She continued, insisting he was “so paranoid to even suggest that, I genuinely can’t believe it”, and claimed she was planning to go to the police.
Danny, remaining sceptical, questioned her: “Paris, how can anyone know where I was at yours at that time?” to which she replied, “I don’t f***ing know but everyone knows where I live that to that silly blonde whore Taylor. I’m not saying anything in messages about her because I’m going to police and I’m telling them everything.”
In a lengthy and furious message, she told Danny she was aware he owed “various people money”, adding “if I wanted to have you hurt or nicked I’d have done that three years ago. I could set you up with the police easy. I had them in the house last year. I could’ve set you up to be robbed by your mates weeks after we split.”
She warned Danny: “I promise you now I’m done covering for you. There isn’t many black guys in Oreston so the minute I see one, I don’t care if it’s innocent, I don’t care your place, Michaela’s [Danny’s girlfriend’s] place and your mum’s address all getting shared and I can promise you now you’ll never see this little girl again”.
Danny then accused Paris of speaking to “the guy” [meaning Frost], stating “he tells me you tell him things about me, then at 10am they there and you was acting weird. Paris I know you hate me but please don’t be talking about me to no-one, it makes no sense.”
After Paris branded Danny “insane”, declaring “you’re literally mad the way you live”, Danny maintains “all this is gonna be sorted by mid week”.
Sceptical, Paris launched into a string of threats, including preventing Danny from seeing his daughter, involving the police and her plans to expose him on social media, warning him “everyone is going to know you’re a grass, I’m literally going to post it and message everyone”. She continued: “I’m not being used as a cover for your bull****”.
Danny kept reassuring Paris that she and their daughter were safe, but she told him “I’ll never forgive you for this. I’m getting hold of your mum”.
She went on: “Tell your guy to get hold of me and tell me I’m safe. Otherwise I’m telling the police, your mum, Michaela. I had your back when we were together. I’ve kept your address private for a while now and your dumb girlfriends. I’ve had the police in my apartment. I’ve been offered money for your address and like I said friends wanted to rob you after we split and I’ve been silent and you’ve shown your colours now so it’s time I showed mine.”
She told Danny that “four years ago” he could run miles, had a gym, family holidays, savings and had “a proper life”. She told him “Even after short went wrong I had your back and I literally saved your ass from prison and we were going to London to get you out of this city.
“I’ve had your best interests since the day we met and I’ve been a wife to you since the day you got out of prison. I still am now. And all you do is s*** on me. It’s not about ‘us’ – I hate you. I’m worth 1,000 of you. Everything you touch turns rotten.”
Within minutes, Paris told Danny: “How anyone knows my address is beyond me.” Danny responded: “I have never given your address. Why the f*** would I”. Paris replied: “I don’t know. But someone has and I don’t want to text too much about this kind of thing but I’ll find out who”.
Danny then appeared to open up to Paris, telling her 2024 was “the worst of my life, I lost everything again. My mum. Everything went wrong. I’m getting my shit together now though. This thing is the last to sort and I’m doing that. But I’ve been in a bad place. Not excusing being a c***. I’ve always been one of them. But’s Ive not been me. You probably gonna use all this agaisnt me at some point down the line when we argue again, But I’m just being real.”
Paris retorted: “I’m not the evil person you think I am. Think of all the times I could have made your life hell and I’ve not. I want you to face your demons – not people you owe money, your own demons and become a better person.”
By late afternoon, Paris reminded Danny that parenting was “more than love”, cautioning him that “Flipping people’s money and airing them is putting your child in danger”. Danny then proposed he would resolve the issue and set up a “link” [meeting] with the men at her place.
This provoked an irate response from Paris: “Two black guys who I do not know who were sent here because you owe some guy money who’s being alright with me right now but he’s saying he ain’t leaving without his money and he will do whatever he has to do to get it. I’ve no choice but the police. And I don’t know where the hell my address got thrown into this, but you’ve told them to come back here and expected me to be cool with you? I’m on a war path.
Ten defendants in total – seven men from London and three women from Plymouth – are standing trial, with seven of them accused of Mr Cahalane’s murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, on 3 May 2025.
They are Paris Wilson, 35, of The Quay, Plymouth; Jude Hill, 43, of Wantage Gardens, Plymouth; Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, of Neasden, London; Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, of Islington, London; Israel Augustus, aged 26, of Tottenham, London; Isanah Sungum, 22, of Edmonton, London; and Brian Kalemba, 23, of Barking, London.
Five of the defendants face charges of attempted kidnapping and attempted grievous bodily harm of Mr Cahalane on 19 January 2025, at The Quay in Oreston, Plymouth. They are Adedoja, Bakas-Sithole and Wilson, alongside Jean Mukuna, 23, and Arrone Mukuna, 25, both of Camden, London.
All ten deny the charges.
The trial continues.
