Gunman deposited £1,000 into bank account two days after Ashley Dale shooting, court hears

Ashley Dale sent a selfie to a friend just hours before her death. Credit: PA Images

The gunman who killed a council worker in her home deposited £1,000 cash into his bank account two days after the shooting, a court has heard.

Ashley Dale, 28, was shot with a Skorpion machine pistol at home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of 21 August 2022 by gunman James Witham, who admits manslaughter.

Witham, 41, and four other defendants - Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28, Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, and Joseph Peers, 29 - deny her murder, which is alleged to have happened following a feud with her partner Lee Harrison.

Their trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard how, just after 7pm on 21 August, Peers booked a two-night stay in a twin room at the Mercure Hotel in St Helens, Merseyside.

He and Witham were seen on CCTV checking in at about 8.30pm and paying for the room with cash.

The pair checked out at about 11am on 23 August, the court heard.

Ashley Dale’s phone became crucial evidence Credit: Family handout/PA

CCTV from the Liverpool One shopping centre showed Witham there later that day.

The court heard he spent £245 in cash at the Footasylum store, buying new trainers and socks, and spent £129 in the Everton store on his card.

At 2.55pm he deposited £1,000 into his bank account, the jury was told.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Sutton said phone evidence showed Witham and Peers travelled to Scotland later that day.

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

The jury heard he was arrested in Spain on 9 August 2023, and extradited to the UK.

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

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

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.

Sergeant Christopher Lowe said Barry, who was in his hotel room with his girlfriend, was told he was under arrest on suspicion of murder and made the comment: “It’s nothing to do with her, she didn’t hurt no-one.”

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.

Police found £10,275 in a Nike bag in the hotel room, the court heard.

Mr Sutton told the court Zeisz attended a police station on 30 August and was arrested after telling staff he understood he was wanted for murder.

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.