James Whitham admits manslaughter of Ashley Dale but denies murdering her (Picture: PA)
James Whitham admits manslaughter of Ashley Dale but denies murdering her (Picture: PA)

The gunman who killed council worker Ashley Dale in her home deposited £1,000 cash into his bank account two days later, a court was told.

Ms Dale, a 28-year-old environmental health worker, was shot with a Skorpion machine gun at her home in Old Swan, Liverpool in the early hours of August 21 last year.

The person who pulled the trigger was James Witham, 41. He admits manslaughter but denies her murder.

Four other defendants, Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28, Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, and Joseph Peers, 29 – also deny her murder.

It’s alleged Ms Dale died following a feud with her partner Lee Harrison.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today that Peers booked a two-night stay in a twin room at the Mercure Hotel in St Helens, Merseyside just after 7pm on the day she was killed.

CCTV caught Peers and Witham checking into a hotel at around 8.30pm and paying for the room with cash.

Ms Dale was an environmental health worker (Picture: PA)
BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Handout photo issued by Merseyside Police of James Witham, after being stopped, along with Niall Barry, by officers from Avon and Somerset Constabulary on their way to Glastonbury on June 25 last year. Issue date: Tuesday October 10, 2023. PA Photo. A man accused of the murder of a council worker said he would shoot her boyfriend, according to messages she sent to friends in the weeks before her death. Environmental health worker Ashley Dale, 28, was hit in the abdomen by a bullet when gunman James Witham, 41, kicked down the door of her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, on August 21 last year, his trial at Liverpool Crown Court has heard. Witham has admitted her manslaughter but he and four other men, Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28, Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, Joseph Peers, 29, deny her murder. See PA story COURTS Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Merseyside Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Witham after being stopped by police (Picture: PA)

They then checked out around 11am on August 23, jurors were told.

Witham was then spotted on CCTV at Liverpool One shopping centre, where, the court heard, he spent £245 in cash at Footasylum on trainers and socks, and £129 on his card in the Everton store.

At 2.55pm he deposited £1,000 into his bank account.

According to detective sergeant Graeme Sutton, phone evidence showed Witham and Peers travelled to Scotland later that day.

Undated handout photo issued by Merseyside Police of the damage caused to the tyres of Ms Dale's car, which were allegedly slashed at 11.40pm on August 20 in an attempt to lure the occupants of her home on Leinster Road outside. Issue date: Tuesday October 10, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Merseyside Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Damage caused to the tyres of Ms Dale’s car, which were allegedly slashed at 11.40pm on August 20 to lure the occupants of her home outside (Picture: PA)
Undated handout photo issued by Merseyside Police of the front door to Ashley Dale's house on Leinster Road in Old Swan, Liverpool, which was kicked in before she was shot. Environmental health worker Ashley Dale was killed in her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of August 21 last year after gunman James Witham, who admits manslaughter, kicked down her front door. Issue date: Wednesday October 11, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Merseyside Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
The front door to Ms Dale’s door, which was kicked in before she was shot (Picture: PA)

At 10.22am on August 23, Fitzgibbon flew from Birmingham Airport to Dubai with his sister Claudia, the court was told.

CCTV showed Barry and his girlfriend Lucy Worley arriving at the Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa on August 24.

A later clip showed eight armed officers from Merseyside Police entering the hotel, where they located Barry.

Handout CCTV issued by Merseyside Police of James Witham buys On Cloudflyer trainers from Taskers Sports in Aintree on August 20. Police found a footprint at the scene of Ashley Dale's shooting which matched the shoes. The 23-year-old environmental health worker was killed in her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of August 21 last year after gunman James Witham, who admits manslaughter, kicked down her front door. Witham, 41, and four other defendants - Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28, Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, and Joseph Peers, 29 - deny her murder during a trial at Liverpool Crown Court , which is alleged to have happened following a feud with her partner Lee Harrison. Issue date: Wednesday October 11, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Merseyside Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
CCTV of Witham buying trainers from Taskers Sports in Aintree on August 20. Police found a footprint at the scene of Ms Dale’s shooting which matched the shoes (Picture: PA)

The court heard Barry had been messaging a man called Gus, who the prosecution describe as ‘a fixer’ who enabled people to flee the country.

Witham, of Huyton; Fitzgibbon, of St Helens; Zeisz of Huyton; Barry, of Tuebrook; and Peers, of Roby – all Merseyside – deny conspiracy to murder Mr Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, a Skorpion sub-machine gun, and ammunition, as well as the murder of Miss Dale.

Kallum Radford, 26, of no fixed address, denies assisting an offender.

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