Ashley Dale: Two men in court over fatal back garden shooting

Ashley Dale worked as an environmental health officer for Knowsley Council

Two men have appeared in court accused of murdering a woman who was shot dead in her back garden.

Ashley Dale, 28, was found with a gunshot wound in Old Swan, Liverpool, just before 01:00 BST on 21 August.

The Knowsley Council worker died in hospital from her injuries.

Niall Barry, 26, of Moscow Drive, Tuebrook, and Sean Zeisz, 27, of Longreach Road, Huyton, appeared via videolink at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.

They confirmed their names and dates of birth during the hearing, which lasted a few minutes.

The defendants were remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday.

James Witham, 40, of Ashbury Road, Huyton, and Joseph Peers, 28, of Woodlands Road, Roby, have already been charged with Ms Dale's murder.

The pair, who are also charged with possession of a firearm with intent, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month and were remanded in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on 30 June.

A trial date was set for October 3.

A 25-year-old man, of no fixed address, who has been charged with assisting an offender, is due to appear at the same court on 1 March.

Merseyside Police previously confirmed Ms Dale, an environmental health officer, was not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting.

Her death was one of three gun killings within a week in Liverpool last year, with nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel killed in her home in Dovecot on 22 August , and 22-year-old Sam Rimmer shot in Dingle on 16 August.

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