Ashley Dale worked as an environmental health officer for Knowsley Council
The family of a council worker who was shot in her home broke down in tears as her final messages were read to a court.
Ashley Dale, 28, died after she was shot in the Old Swan area of Liverpool on 21 August 2022.
The court has heard she was not the intended target and was shot as a gunman burst into the home looking for her partner.
Five men are on trial accused of Miss Dale’s murder.
A selfie of Miss Dale with her dachshund Darla, taken less than an hour before her death, was shown to the trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
The court heard she sent the picture to a friend at 23:51 BST on 20 August with the message: “Any need for my child.
“I’ve never known anything like it. She’s scared of something outside. She’s got me nerves gone.
“And now won’t leave me side like an actual baby.”
James Witham, 41, Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28, Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, and Joseph Peers, 29, all deny her murder, which is alleged to have happened over a feud with Miss Dale’s partner Lee Harrison.
Mr Witham, 41, has admitted manslaughter.
‘R u okay?’
The jury was also shown photos of damage caused to the tyres of Miss Dale’s car, which were allegedly slashed moments before at 23:40 in an attempt to lure the occupants of her home on Leinster Road outside.
The court heard Miss Dale messaged her mother, Julie Dale, at 23:46, after the tyres were damaged, and told her rain had set off her car alarm.
Her mother replied: “Bloody hell really. Wanna see the leaves round here.”
Miss Dale messaged her mother saying: “Saw that on the news today. Because of the heat wave x.”
Image source, PA Media
Miss Dale’s tyres were allegedly slashed in an attempt to lure the occupants out of her home
Det Sgt Graeme Sutton told the court: “The last message to her mum read ‘world’s ending’.”
Mrs Dale was in tears as the last messages her daughter sent her were shown to the court.
Tissues were passed to other relatives and friends in tears in the public gallery of the court.
At 23:40, Miss Dale sent a message to her partner Mr Harrison saying her car alarm was going off.
He replied just over 20 minutes later saying: “Hahahaha you think your in a horror movie.
Image source, Police handout
Miss Dale messaged her friend saying her dog was “scared of something outside”
At 00:07, less than half an hour before she was shot, Miss Dale replied: “No I’m dead.”
The jury was told data from Miss Dale’s phone showed at 00:32 she moved five steps.
Phone records show she called Mr Harrison a minute later but he did not answer and she left a one minute 43 second voicemail.
CCTV showed the Hyundai used in the shooting drove on to Miss Dale’s road at 00:30 and left the road two minutes 36 seconds later.
Miss Dale’s father Steve Dunne walked out of court as body worn footage showing police officers arriving at the house was played.
Mrs Dale and Miss Dale’s stepfather, Rob Jones, left as medical evidence was read to the jury.
Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, said Miss Dale had been hit in the abdomen by a bullet which passed through her liver and the right chamber of her heart.
She was pronounced dead in hospital at 01:48, the court heard.
Image source, PA Media
James Witham, seen here when he was stopped by police on his way to Glastonbury last year, has admitted Miss Dale’s manslaughter
Mr Witham, of Huyton; Mr Fitzgibbon, of St Helens; Mr Zeisz of Huyton; Mr Barry, of Tuebrook; and Mr Peers, of Roby, all of Merseyside, also deny conspiracy to murder Mr Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, a Skorpion sub-machine gun, and ammunition.
Kallum Radford, 26, of no fixed address, denies assisting an offender.
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
Related Topics
Related Internet Links
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
