Four men jailed for life for murder of Ashley Dale

Four men have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a 28-year-old woman who was shot with a machine gun in her home.

Environmental health worker Ashley Dale died when gunman James Witham, 41, forced his way into her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of August 21 last year and opened fire with a Skorpion submachine gun.

At Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, Witham was sentenced to a minimum sentence of 43 years.

Niall Barry, 26, who the prosecution described as the “evil presence” behind Mrs Dale’s murder, was sentenced to a minimum term of 47 years.

Joseph Peers, 29, allegedly a “foot soldier” who brought Witham to the scene, was sentenced to at least 41 years and Sean Zeisz, 28, accused of organizing and encouraging the attack with Barry, was ordered to serve a prison sentence. minimum of 42 years.

The four men were found guilty after a seven-week trial of the murder of Ms Dale, conspiracy to murder her boyfriend Lee Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon (a Skorpion submachine gun) and ammunition with intent to endanger life. life.