Two men deny murder of Ashley Dale in Old Swan

Two men have denied murdering a woman who was shot dead in the back garden of her own home in Liverpool.

Ashley Dale, 28, was shot dead at a house on Leinster Road, Old Swan, on 21 August last year.

Joseph Peers, 28, and James Witham, 40, appeared via video link at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday 30 June where they pleaded not guilty to murder.

Mr Peers, of Woodlands Road, Roby, and Mr Witham, of Ashbury Road, Huyton, also pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder; and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and ammunition with an intention to endanger life.

Kallum Radford, 25, of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender by taking possession of the Hyundai car believed to have been used by Mr Peers and another man, Sean Zeisz, during the murder.

Mr Zeisz, 27, of Longreach Road, Huyton, and Niall Barry, 26, of Moscow Drive, Tuebrook, were also charged with Miss Dale's murder in February.

They were not asked to enter a plea.