Devon & Cornwall Police News site

Two men have been jailed for life for the acid murder of Plymouth dad Danny Cahalane.

Israel Augustus was one of two men who attacked Danny, 38, in his home in Lipson Road on 21 February 2025, with Abdul-Rasheed Adedoja instrumental in planning the murder and directing events that followed.

Also jailed at Winchester Crown Court today, Friday 31 July, was Danny’s ex-wife Paris Wilson who supplied information on his whereabouts to a crime boss and another organiser, Ramarnee Bakas.

Following an 18-week trial, Augustus, 27, of Pulford Road in London, was found guilty of murder. He pleaded guilty to possession with an intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. 

Adedoja, 23, of North Circular Road, Neasden, London, was also convicted of murder.

Wilson, 35, of The Quay, Plymouth, was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted kidnap and Bakas, 24, of Junction Road, London, was also convicted of manslaughter.

Augustus and Adedoja were given life sentences with minimum terms of 30 and 31 years respectively, minus time already served.

Wilson was jailed for nine years and Bakas for 10 years.

Sentencing, The Honourable Ms Justice Norton said that Danny was attacked because “he owed a significant drug debt”, adding he “suffered horrific injuries after he was doused in acid”.

She said: “Danny suffered significant corrosive injuries that had he survived would have been life-changing.

“For most if not all of the weeks between the assault and his death he would have been in significant pain.”

Ms Justice Norton spoke through the roles of the four defendants. Adedoja, she said, was in close contact with the drugs boss and was instrumental in the plot to do Danny serious harm.

Bakas provided practical support such as with a stolen car, while Augustus was present and involved in the attack on Danny. Bakas and Adedoja both helped the attackers get to Plymouth and back to London after.

Ms Justice Norton said that Wilson did not deal drugs, “but was happy to associate with those who did and provide assistance”.

Ms Justice Norton stated Wilson provided information to the drugs boss as to Danny’s whereabouts and enabled the gang access to him – both on the night of the acid attack and an earlier attempted kidnapping.

Three other defendants received custodial sentenced in May for lesser roles in the wider conspiracy which resulted in Danny’s death.

They are:

• Isanah Sungum, 23, of Sterling Way, Edmonton, London, sentenced to 26 months for participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group.

• Jean Mukuna, 24, of Werrington Street, London, jailed for 52 months for attempted kidnap. He previously pleaded guilty to possession with an intent to supply drugs. 

• Arrone Mukuna, 25, of Werrington Street, London, sentenced to 16 months for attempted kidnap.

• Jude Hill, 44, of Wantage Gardens in Plymouth, who also stood trial with the other defendants, was cleared of any involvement in Danny’s killing but jailed for 32 months for being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs from Thailand to the UK. 

• Two other defendants were acquitted either during or at the conclusion of the trial.

Throughout the trial, the jury heard the background which led to two incidents involving Danny and members of the organised crime group – one a failed kidnapping in Oreston and the other the acid attack which claimed his life after 10 weeks in hospital being treated for severe burns.

Danny owed around £120,000 to a drugs boss based overseas for whom he had worked, managing the Plymouth branch of the operation.

When Danny was unable to repay the money lost from gambling and when an associate fled to New Zealand, the Dubai-based drugs boss became increasingly furious.

Demands for Danny to repay the money – some of which were made through Wilson - were followed by threats on his life and others around him when he couldn’t erase the debt.

On Sunday 19 January 2025 Danny arrived in Oreston to drop his daughter to her mother, Wilson.

After parking up Danny was approached by the Mukuna brothers and a third man, however despite the three trying to get to Danny he was able to get in his car and escape.

Minutes later Danny received a message from the crime boss referring to a ‘close call’, adding that he’ll die next time.

Over the course of the conspiracy Wilson became a key contact for the crime group as she gave up information – including about Danny’s whereabouts – as an act of revenge and for payment. She also put pressure on Danny on behalf of the drugs boss to pay up.

In the build-up to the 21 February attack, plans were put in place involving stolen cars and foot soldiers, with Adedoja and Bakas key organisers trusted by the crime boss at the top of the tree. 

On 18 February two men travelled to Plymouth in a stolen vehicle with cloned plates. One of the men was replaced by Augustus prior to the attack after he was driven to Plymouth by Sungum. 

In the early hours of 21 February, the stolen vehicle drives to Danny’s property, reversing into an alleyway nearby.

Augustus and a second man then approached Danny’s home and proceeded to enter and attack him with weapons.

Danny fought them off, before the second man retrieved a cup of sulphuric acid and threw it over Danny, causing the injuries which would go on to prove fatal.

Before his passing, Danny was able to give officers a detailed description of the events on the night of the attack from his hospital bed, as well as a full background of the debt, threats and previous attempted kidnap.

Augustus – who was driving - and the second man then left Plymouth and made their way back towards London before breaking down on the M4.

They then arrived on foot in the nearby Wiltshire village of Grittleton, attending properties and the local pub trying to charge their phones and arrange a lift.

Eventually they were able to return to London after a lift was organised by Adedoja and Bakas to pick them up from Chippenham.

Adedoja in particular had constant communication with the crime boss during the time period either side of the attack in Lipson Road. He also made bank payments to some of those involved and actively recruited others.

Officers then conducted extensive fast-paced enquiries including the examination of phone records, CCTV and doorbell footage and ANPR, resulting in the identification and subsequent arrests of the defendants.

All of the convicted male defendants had links to the drugs conspiracy either directly or indirectly, whether that was as enforcers, in the drugs trade or around stolen cars.

Augustus’ bedroom was found to contain a large amount of different types of drugs and associated paraphernalia – and his phone had messages consistent with drug dealing.

Detective Superintendent Rachael Bentley of the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Danny’s family and friends who have lost a father, son and loved one. 

“Danny was just 38 when he died and should have had many years ahead of him to look forward to.

“His family have handled themselves with dignity throughout proceedings and our thoughts remain with them going forward. 

“This was a particularly barbaric attack on a man in his own home – a place he should have been safe. 

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

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

“Danny’s killing goes way beyond the two individuals that attended his home on 21 February 2025. 

“It involved numerous individuals based in Plymouth, London and abroad who performed various roles in the planning, execution and events following the attack.

“This was a challenging and dynamic investigation that directly tackled a wide-reaching organised crime group.

“Organised crime has no place in our community and when it does creep into our force area, we will investigate and target those responsible regardless of where they stand in the chain of command.”