Cahalane, 38, was rushed to hospital following the assault but succumbed to his injuries on 3 May 2025, ten weeks after the attack. Witnesses described him as “wide-eyed and terrified” during the earlier failed kidnap attempt by the same group, the court heard.
His ex-wife, Paris Wilson, 35, is among ten people facing trial in connection with the attack. Co-accused Jenna Said, 39, and several others are charged with participation in organised crime and various offences related to the acid attack.
The prosecution said Cahalane had been involved in a drug-dealing operation and owed £120,000 to a man identified as Ryan Kennedy, known as Frost. From his hospital bed, Cahalane told police the drugs were imported into the UK by plane or boat and distributed through a network of smaller suppliers.
Prosecutor Joanne Martin KC explained that while initial dealings went smoothly, a trusted associate absconded with funds to New Zealand, and Cahalane had also gambled with some of the profits. This left him in debt and exposed to threats from Kennedy, who allegedly sent multiple messages warning he would have Cahalane harmed.
On 21 February 2025, two men reportedly broke into Cahalane’s home and attacked him with acid, inflicting burns across his body. The court heard that the attack was intentional and “designed to cause really serious bodily harm.”
Wilson denies murder, manslaughter, attempted kidnap, attempted grievous bodily harm, and participating in organised crime. Other defendants, including Said, Jude Hill, Augustus 25, Isanah Sungum, Jean Mukuna, Arrone Mukuna, Abdul-Rasheed Adedoja, Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, and Brian Kalemba, also deny charges ranging from murder to involvement in criminal activities.
The trial is ongoing, with jurors hearing evidence of the planning, threats, and the network behind the attack.
