Ashley Dale: Man charged with murder after woman shot in garden

Ashley Dale worked as an environmental health officer for Knowsley Council

A man has been charged with the murder of a woman who was shot dead in the back garden of her home.

Ashley Dale, 28, was found with a gunshot wound in Old Swan, Liverpool, on 21 August last year.

Merseyside Police said Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, had been extradited from Spain on a trade and co-operation agreement.

He has also been charged with conspiracy to murder Lee Harrison and possession of a prohibited weapon with intent to endanger life.

Mr Fitzgibbon, from St Helens, is also facing an allegation of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, namely a Skorpion sub machine gun, and associated ammunition.

He is due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Ms Dale was found in the back garden of her home on Leinster Road in Old Swan last August

Sean Zeisz, 27, Niall Barry, 26, James Witham, 41, and Joseph Peers, 28, who were previously charged with Ms Dale's murder, are due to stand trial on 2 October.

Mr Fitzgibbon was arrested by the Spanish National Police and extradited from Spain, with the support of the National Crime Agency's National Extradition Unit, on Thursday afternoon.

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