Ashley was murdered at her home in Leinster Road, Liverpool, caught in the crossfire of a feud between Barry and her boyfriend.

The row began years ago over the theft of drugs, but flared up at Glastonbury last June, where Barry was heard threatening to stab Lee Harrison.

Image source, Family handout

Zeisz was then assaulted by a group, thought to include a friend of Mr Harrison's.

The trial was played voice notes and messages sent by Ashley (seen in this photo at Sefton's Fusion festival with her mum Julie) to her friends in the two months before her death.

Witham admitted manslaughter and claimed he was acting alone - but the prosecution alleged he was the "fall guy", who was trying to protect his co-defendants.

Mr Harrison, who did not co-operate with police following his girlfriend's death, was out on the night of the murder and has since spent time in Dubai, the court heard.

The moment gunman James Witham was arrested was captured on camera by officers

He was stopped on 13 September 2022, originally giving the police the false name of Francis Kelly.

Here's a recap of the sentences handed out at Liverpool Crown Court.

Image source, Family handout

Niall Barry, 26, of Moscow Drive, Tuebrook, was described as the "malign presence" in the murder of Ashley Dale and given a life sentence with at least 47 years behind bars.

Sean Zeisz, 28, of Longreach Road, Huyton, was also handed a life sentence - with a minimum of 42 years - for his role organising and encouraging the shooting of Ashley at her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in August last year.

Joseph Peers, 29, of Woodlands Road, Roby, Merseyside, who was described as a "foot soldier", was jailed for life with a minimum term of 41 years.

Gunman James Witham, 41, of Ashbury Road, Huyton, Merseyside, was also given a life sentence with a minimum of 43 years.

Nick Garnett

The four men have now been taken down to the cells.

Sobs of tears can be heard from the public gallery where relatives of the jailed men have been sitting.

Nick Garnett

The judge says to Ashley's family: "I have been struck by the dignity you have shown and your personal statements - they were truly remarkable."

He also commended the work of the senior investigating officer Cath Cummings for her work.

Image source, PA Media

Joseph Peers, 29, has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 41 years.

Peers was described in court as a "foot soldier" after he drove a Hyundai to the scene and earlier helped James Witham to stab the tyres of Ashley's car, in an attempt to lure her and her partner out of the house.

A jury found him guilty of murder, conspiracy to murder Lee Harrison - Ashley's boyfriend - and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon.

Image source, PA Media

Sean Zeisz, 28, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years for his part in the murder.

A jury found him guilty of murder, conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon.

Image source, PA Media

Niall Barry, 26, has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 47 years for his part in the murder.

Barry and Sean Zeisz, 28, were found to have helped organise and encourage the killing, which came after a feud with Ashley's boyfriend Lee Harrison.

A jury found him guilty of murder, conspiracy to murder Lee Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon.

Image source, PA Media

James Witham, 41, has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 43 years for his part in the murder of Ashley Dale.

Ashley was killed when Witham fired a Skorpion sub-machine gun in her house in Liverpool in the early hours of 21 August 2022.

He previously admitted firing the bullet that killed Ashley but claimed it was accidental.

A jury found him guilty of murder, conspiracy to murder Lee Harrison - Ashley's boyfriend - and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon.

Four men jailed for life for murder of Ashley Dale.

Mr Justice Goose tells the four convicted men: "Each of you is a dangerous offender".

The judge has begun his remarks and is about to sentence the four men in the dock.

You can watch the judge's sentencing remarks at Liverpool Crown Court by pressing play at the top of the page.

Ashley’s paternal grandmother, Susan Steinhilber - known as "Gramma Sue" to Ashley - has also given a moving tribute to the hearing.

She says: "My talented granddaughter Ashley Louise Dale had the world at her feet and I cannot describe how devastated I feel at losing her, and in such a cruel way.

"I wake every morning hoping that this is just a bad dream, but it isn’t, I miss Ashley terribly, who is no longer with us in body but she will always be with us in spirit."

More from Ashley Dale's mum, Julie, and the words she read out in court.

She recalls the police leaving her house.

"Ashley's two younger sisters were sleeping peacefully in their beds upstairs, she says.

"Then the reality set in, that I was going to have to tell them, their big sister they so adored was no longer here.

"Those poor innocent girls, exposed to this horrific act.

"How can I tell them some evil person has done this to their defenceless sister who was home alone in her place of safety."

She said it was a sound "no mother should hear, the screams of my baby girls when I told them something awful had happened to their big sister, and she had passed away.

"The inconsolable cries of a seven and 12-year-old, whose lights had also just been switched off."

The court heard an impact statement from Ashley's dad, Steven Dunne, which described how - since the moment he was told about the killing - he was "confined to a living nightmare".

"I remember shouting ‘no’ for a long time at the top of my voice; I couldn’t believe it - history had repeated itself.

Image source, Merseyside Police

"My son, Lewis Dunne, had been shot dead seven years previous at only 16 years of age.

"He was shot at close range in the back with a shotgun in a case of mistaken identity; an innocent victim caught in the middle of a gang feud.

"It had been a long seven years of pulling myself out of some very dark – and at times, lonely – places, trying to put my life back together."

Andy Gill
Reporter, BBC North West Tonight

Continuing with her statement, Ashley's mum says: “My beautiful daughter was now a piece of evidence.”

Nick Garnett

Witham has now returned to the dock and is drinking from a bottle of water but as the second statement is read out he still refuses to lift his eyes and look at the court.

Shortly before he left the dock, Julie Dale looked at the four men, with Peers and Witham still staring at the floor. She called them monsters, adding: "I hope my words haunt you forever."

Nick Garnett

Wtiham has walked to the back of the dock.

He couldn’t cope with the words of Julie Dale that were directed to him.

He has left the dock, the judge says he expects him to come back shortly.

The other three defendants are still there.

The prosecution has detailed the criminality of Niall Barry and Sean Zeisz who were also involved in drug crime.

Zeisz and Barry ran an organised crime ring that supplies drugs across large parts of the UK - from north Wales to Brighton

Their messages were intercepted on Encrochat, a messaging system which was hacked by police.

The messages showed they were involved in a gang able to supply large amounts of drugs around the country, and that Barry was able to source firearms when needed.

Nick Garnett

Julie Dale, Ashley's mum, has read out her personal statement in court.

Wearing a camel-coloured coat, she stands in the witness box and addresses the court.

"On 21 August, the day I not only lost my daughter but my best friend.

"Two police officers stood at my door - an image that will haunt me forever. 'Can we come in? ...She’s passed away', they said."

Image source, Family handout

"Time stood still," Julie says.

"How? Why? What’s happened?"

There were tears from relatives listening to it.

Witham has his head bowed, the other defendants are looking down.