Ashley ‘introduced personal killers to justice’ as cowards killed her over Glasto spat
The council employee who was gunned down in a twisted revenge plot managed to carry her killers to justice from past the grave.
Ashley Dale, 28, was discovered useless at her house in Old Swan, Liverpool, on August 21 final 12 months after gunman James Witham compelled his means in and fired a Skorpion machine gun at her.
Witham, 41, in addition to Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28 and Joseph Peers, 29, have been at the moment (Monday, November 20) convicted of Ashley’s homicide. The homicide occurred after a feud between the 4 males and Ashley’s boyfriend Lee Harrison, 26, was reignited at Glastonbury Festival final 12 months.
READ MORE: UK’s cannibal killers from ‘Peckish Pete’ who fried mind in butter to chef who cooked lover
For the most recent information from the Daily Star, click on right here.
(Image: PA)
Glastonbury Spat
The jury heard Zeisz was assaulted on the pageant and his attackers included a person referred to as Jordan Thompson. Zeisz’s girlfriend then stayed with Thompson, Ashley and Harrison, compounding Zeisz’s “loss of face” in accordance with Paul Greaney KC.
Barry sided with Zeisz as he already had had fallings out with Harrison. Mr Greaney mentioned: “Niall Barry used these new events at Glastonbury to reignite that old feud.”
Ian Fitzgibbon (who was additionally accused of organising or encouraging the killing however discovered not responsible) described how Barry confirmed him a knife whereas at Glastonbury and informed him: “Tell him [Harrison] when you see him I’m going to stab him up.”
(Image: PA)
Voice notes caught killers
A collection of voice notes discovered on Ashley’s telephone, courting from when she attended Glastonbury to the day of her loss of life, have been essential in bringing her killers to justice.
Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings mentioned: “For me, as a senior investigating officer, this was the most compelling and emotional part of the case.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the evidence of the murder victim play such a crucial role in a court case. Ashley was narrating her own story and events that led to her death.
“It’s Ashley that’s actually brought these offenders to justice because overlaying that with the evidence that we’ve been able to gather she’s told us the story herself.”
(Image: PA)
The assault
Barry and Zeisz dispatched “foot soldiers” Witham and Peers with a Skorpion sub-machine gun to kill Harrison on August 20. Ashley was on the couple’s house on the night time, whereas Harrison was out.
Jurors heard that after Witham kicked the entrance door down Ashley tried to flee from the again of the home. She was pursued and later discovered mendacity in her again backyard “groaning in pain”.
Witham had denied homicide however admitted manslaughter. He claimed he “never saw or heard Ashley”, and that he shot her accidentally having gone to “send a message” to Harrison following a dispute about drug dealing in North Wales.
Peers allegedly drove a Hyundai to the scene and earlier helped Witham stab tyres on Ashley’s automotive in an try and lure her from the home.
(Image: PA)
Family’s anger
Ashley’s household have expressed anger in the direction of her “despicable” boyfriend Harrison, who had been in a relationship along with her for about 5 years. The courtroom heard he had been “totally uncooperative” with police and visited Dubai on a number of events after her loss of life.
Ashley’s mum Julie Dale mentioned: “Some days I really feel like I’m extra offended in the direction of him than I’m to the one that’s truly killed Ashley as a result of with out Lee Harrison this wouldn’t have occurred.
“The means he’s acted since this has occurred has been completely despicable. We’ve had no regret from him. We’ve had no help from him. We don’t have any admittance that it’s something to do with him.
(Image: PA)
“He’s given us any number of reasons of what he’s heard it’s to do with and none of them include him. He still carries on going about his life, leaving the country, going on holidays, lording it up, shall we say, like nothing’s happened and nothing’s changed for him and it’s absolutely disgusting, it really is.”
For the most recent breaking information and tales from throughout the globe from the Daily Star, join our e-newsletter by clicking right here.
