Murder accused attended Everton match in the hours before Ashley Dale's death, court hears

Ashley Dale, 28, was fatally shot at her home in Old Swan, Liverpool in August 2022. Credit: Family photo

A gunman attended a football match in the hours before a council worker's death, a court has heard.

James Witham, 41, who is accused of murdering 28-year-old Ashley Dale, bought trainers and went to an Everton football game just hours before she died, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

He has admitted the manslaughter of the council worker, who was fatally shot in her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of 21 August 2021.

But Witham denies her murder and claims he did not know Miss Dale was at home alone when he went to the house on Leinster Road to send a message to her boyfriend Lee Harrison, a jury has been told

It is alleged Witham and a second man, Joseph Peers, 28, were "dispatched" to kill Harrison by three men - Niall Barry, 26; Sean Zeisz, 28; and Ian Fitzgibbon, 28.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Sutton said Witham entered the store, while Fitzgibbon waited outside in a Volkswagen Golf, and purchased a pair of On Cloudflyer trainers in size eight and a half for £155.

The jury has heard a footprint matching the trainers was found on the front door of Miss Dale’s home after it was kicked in.

(left to right) Ashley Dale’s sister, mother Julie Dale and stepfather Rob Jones at Liverpool Crown Court Credit: left to right

Card payments also were made by Witham to a catering company in Goodison Park stadium, the home of Everton Football Club, at 2.37pm on 20 August, the court was told.

The jury heard he was believed to be with associate Michael Kershaw.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Sutton said: “We believe Mr Witham and Mr Kershaw attended a football match at Goodison.”

The court was told the two later got a taxi to a flat on Pilch Lane in Huyton, which is alleged to be the “centre of operations" for the murder plot.

At 9.30pm on 20 August, Witham, Fitzgibbon, Zeisz, Barry and Peers were all in the flat, the jury heard.

Witham, of Ashbury Road in Huyton; Zeisz, of Longreach Road in Huyton; Barry, of Moscow Drive in Tuebrook; Peers, of Woodlands Road in Roby; and Fitzgibbon, of Heigham Gardens in St Helens, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Ashley Dale, conspiracy to murder Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, namely a Skorpion submachine gun, and ammunition with intent to endanger life. 

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

The trial continues and is expected to last six to eight weeks.