Woman jailed after fatal acid attack on ex-husband

A woman who was involved in an acid attack that killed her ex-husband has been jailed for nine years.

Drug dealer Danny Cahalane, 38, was attacked at his home in Plymouth, Devon, on 21 February 2025 and died in hospital weeks later.

Paris Wilson, 35, from Plymouth, was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted kidnapping following a four-month trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Ramarnee Bakas, 24, of Islington, London, who was found guilty of manslaughter at the trial, was jailed for 10 years on Friday. Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, from Neasden, London, and Israel Augustus, 27, from Tottenham, London, were jailed for 31 and 30 years respectively after being found guilty of murder.

Wilson, who was dressed in black, broke down in the dock during the sentencing.

The court previously heard Cahalane owed £120,000 debt to an overseas drug boss, Ryan Kennedy, known as Frost.

Wilson and Cahalane's relationship began while he was serving a prison sentence for drug dealing.

Although the pair had never previously met, they had mutual friends and went on a date when Cahalane was released from prison.

The pair married in 2020 but had separated in 2022 - the same year Cahalane was given a suspended prison sentence for possession with intent to supply cocaine and money laundering.

In November 2024, Wilson received a message on Snapchat from Kennedy, who told her about Cahalane's drug debt and how it could become "everybody's debt".

Addressing Wilson, Ms Justice Norton said she "knew an acid attack" was something which could take place.

"Whatever your motivation was, whether money, security or revenge, in that moment, your main concern was yourself," the judge said.

Norton referenced Wilson's assistance through "child contact arrangements".

"You knew that this assault was going to take place at his address at night," the judge said.

Defence barrister Jennifer Knight KC said Wilson was "deeply sorry" for the death of Cahalane - who had sulphuric acid thrown on him during the attack - adding she would never want to "deprive" their daughter of her father.

"It is a fact that Miss Wilson's life has been completely devastated by Danny Cahalane's death," Knight told the court.

Wilson was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for attempted kidnapping. The judge said she would serve 40% of this sentence.

She received a consecutive sentence of eight years for manslaughter, with Norton saying Wilson would be released on licence once she had served two-thirds of this.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Cahalane's aunt Jayne Keeper said his loss was "immeasurable".

"Danny was a great father and son," Keeper said.

"Paris would always put him under pressure wanting more."

The court heard Cahalane's mum, Vivien, was unwell with cancer and passed away the day after her son died.

In a victim impact statement, his stepdad Tony Bleach said: "I lost my son and my partner."

Bleach said he loved Cahalane as his own, adding he could "light up a room".

He said the nature of the attack was "cruel and deeply distressing".

"There are days when I'm simply getting through, rather than living," he added.

"I find myself constantly thinking about if there was more I could have done."

Senior district prosecutor, Rachael Scott, said the attack was "truly horrific".

"Danny suffered the most horrific injuries having endured 10 operations and losing the sight in his eye," she said.

"It was a orchestrated, you could almost say, an execution of Danny because of this outstanding drug debt."

Norton said Cahalane suffered "significant corrosive injuries".

"For most if not all of the weeks between the assault and his death, he would have been in significant pain," she said.

Det Supt Rachael Bentley from Devon and Cornwall Police said it was a "particularly barbaric attack on a man in his own home".

"Despite for a time successfully fighting off his attackers, Danny must have been terrified," she said.

"Acid attacks remain rare in Devon and Cornwall but are a particularly cowardly and devastating means of violence."

Adedoja was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years 255 days for Cahalane's murder.

Augustus was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years and 210 days for the murder of Cahalane along with other drug offences and possession of a zombie-style knife.

Bakas, who has already spent 475 days in prison, will serve two-thirds of his sentence before release, Norton said.

In May, Isanah Sungum, 22, from Edmonton in London, was previously found guilty of being part of an organised crime gang and was jailed for two years and two months.

Jean, 24, and Arrone Mukuna, 25, both from Camden in London, were also previously jailed for 16 months after being found guilty of the attempted kidnap of Cahalane about four weeks before the attack. Jean Mukuna was also jailed consecutively for three years for possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Jude Hill, 44, from Plymouth, who was found not guilty of murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter, was jailed for two years and eight months after admitting supplying cannabis.

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