Furious voice notes despatched from private coach to ‘Dubai-based drug lord he owed cash’ earlier than he was killed in acid assault are performed in courtroom
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Furious voice notes sent from a personal trainer to an alleged Dubai-based drug lord he owed money just before he was killed in an acid attack have been played in court.
Danny Cahalane, 38, was £120,000 in debt to Ryan Kennedy – known as ‘Frost’ in the criminal world – at the time of his death, jurors at Winchester Crown Court were previously told.
Kennedy is believed to have ordered a hit on the fitness instructor – who was allegedly also a drug dealer – which involved the victim being ‘doused in acid’ at his home in Plymouth, Devon last year. He died in hospital from his injuries 10 days later.
The trial of 10 people – seven men from London and three women from Plymouth – over Mr Cahalane’s death continued on Tuesday and the court heard increasingly angry messages and phone calls between the victim and Kennedy.
Shortly after midnight on January 30, 2025, Ryan Kennedy – who is not on trial and has not been charged with any crimes as he is ‘almost certainly’ in Dubai – messaged Mr Cahalane a series of threats in all capital letters.
He wrote: ‘I swear to God if you ain’t on [the] way 11am, you think I’m waiting forever, on my mum’s life they coming early, think I’m listening to your bulls***?’
Kennedy then repeated a previous threat about setting light to the home of Mr Cahalane’s mother and ex-wife.
Furious voice notes sent from personal trainer Danny Cahalane, pictured, to an alleged drug lord he owed money just before he was killed in an acid attack have been played in court
Mr Cahalane, pictured with ex-wife Wilson, was £120,000 in debt to Ryan Kennedy – known as ‘Frost’ in the criminal world – at the time of his death, Winchester Crown Court heard
At around 6am that day, Kennedy sent another message saying: ‘If you ain’t left by 11 they [will be] on [the] way.’
Mr Cahalane then exploded at the kingpin during a series of WhatsApp voice notes played to the jury.
He told Kennedy he knew ‘full well’ he was not going to meet the people the drug lord wanted him to and added: ‘You’re trying to get people to terrorise my f***ing kid’s house, after I facetimed you with the money at the train station and said to you “What the f*** am I doing, I’m trying to get to Bristol”. I had the money on me.
‘My brethren, my best brethren’s got the money in his f***ing yard [house].
‘I’m waiting on him to come out and you’re talking about sending me up to do something to my kid’s house. You think I’m a f***ing d***head bruv? Like I owe you P’s [money] bruv and I’m humble about that.
‘I’m trying to give you your money and you’re trying to threaten my f***ing kid’s house?’
Mr Cahalane said he knew he owed Kennedy money, adding: ‘I’ve got my hat in my hand, I feel it. I’m gonna pay you your bread. I’ve got 19 bags [£19k] down here, that’s on my dying mum’s life.
‘Sixteen of it is in my brethren’s yard. I’ve got 15 five in his yard, I’ve got three five there. Don’t try and f***ing bully me [saying], “Ah they’re coming, they’re coming, they’re gonna do this, they’re gonna burn down your kid’s house and all that”.
‘Don’t take me for a f***ing d***head bro, seriously like, please. I’m paying you your bread.’
Kennedy replied: ‘Who the f*** is bullying you. Taking me for a f***ing c***. You owe £88k.’
The heated messages continued back and forth with Mr Cahalane eventually leaving another voice note for the drug lord, his voice higher pitched and faster, addressing Kennedy’s questions about where the money was being left.
He asked: ‘Leave the money round someone’s house? What the f*** are you talking about.
‘He ain’t just a someone bro. I’ve grown up with the geezer. He lives two minutes from the train station.’
Mr Cahalane added in the voice note: ‘I ain’t taking you for a f***ing mug bruv, alright I took the p**s, I hear that, I’m not even trying to come with my hat.
‘But I’m telling you I’ve got the f***ing money for you bruv. I ain’t just left it round someone’s house, I ain’t chatting no f***ing shit either. Ring the f***ing guy yourself, you’ve got his number, you spoke to him.
‘About threatening my f***ing kid’s house on money that I’ve got for you? Are you mad? You think I’m a f***ing d***head bro?
Mr Cahalane’s ex-wife Wilson, pictured, is on trial accused of murder after she allegedly ‘fed information’ about Mr Cahalane’s whereabouts to drugs lord Kennedy
‘Do you think I’m gonna sit down and take that lying down, you’re gonna talk about burning out my kid’s house. Are you f***ing mad?
‘You’re terrorising me, bruv, you’re trying to f***ing bully me. Yeah, you’re owed money, bruv, I’m trying to pay you.
‘You’re threatening my kid’s yard. Are you f***ing mad bruv?’
The message abruptly ended and, a few minutes later, Kennedy replied: ‘Alright, cool, let’s go to war. F*** off. Keep the money, you f***ing idiot.’
The last message between the pair on January 31 saw the kingpin tell Mr Cahalane: ‘You just talk s***. It is what it is. We’ll catch up very soon. You done for £120k.’
It comes after the court heard Paris Wilson, 35, helped plot the murder of her fitness instructor ex Mr Cahalane after the ‘acrimonious’ breakdown of their marriage.
The probation worker allegedly ‘fed information’ about Mr Cahalane’s whereabouts to drugs lord Kennedy.
Kennedy was operating out of Dubai and orchestrated the hit on Mr Cahalane to show him ‘who was boss’, jurors were told.
She is also accused of setting up her ex-husband to be ambushed the month before the attack.
A jury heard Wilson told her former husband and Mr Cahalane: ‘I hope you and your (girlfriend) both end up with acid in your face.’
Wilson agreed to help Kennedy in exchange for ‘a couple of grand’ and because she thought her ex ‘deserved’ to get hurt, it was heard on Friday.
Prosecutor Ms Joanna Martin KC said Wilson set up her ex-husband ‘on the understanding Kennedy would make her wealthy’ and she would be paid a couple of thousand pounds.
It is claimed Wilson lured Mr Cahalane to her home, where three men tried to abduct him the month before the acid attack.
A total of 10 people are on trial at Winchester Crown Court.
Wilson is accused of murder, manslaughter, participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group, attempted kidnap and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.
The others accused of murder are five men – Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Ramarnee Bakas-Sithole, 23, Israel Augustus, 26, Isanah Sungum, 22, and Brian Kalemba, 23, and one woman, Jude Hill, 43. The defendants have all pleaded not guilty.
The trial continues.
