Ashley Dale murder-accused denies any part in shooting death

Ashley Dale was not the intended target when a gunman burst into her home in search of her partner, the jury has heard

One of the men accused of murdering Ashley Dale in Liverpool has denied having any involvement in the killing or in any plot to murder her boyfriend.

It is claimed Joseph Peers, 29, was the getaway driver on the night the 28-year-old was shot dead in the Old Swan area of the city on 21 August 2022.

A trial has heard Ms Dale was not the intended target when a gunman burst into her home in search of her partner.

Mr Peers is one of five men who deny murdering the council worker.

James Witham has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.

Liverpool Crown Court has heard Mr Witham and Mr Peers were the "foot soldiers" in the killing, which was directed by Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28 and Ian Fitzgibbon, 28.

Ms Dale's boyfriend Lee Harrison and Mr Barry are said to have had a long standing dispute which flared up at last year's Glastonbury music festival.

Mr Peers was earlier questioned by his barrister Peter Wright KC, who asked if he had murdered Ms Dale or been involved in any way in her killing.

He replied "no" and "most definitely not".

The trial is being held at Liverpool Crown Court

When asked if he was parked outside Ms Dale's home on the night she was shot, he again replied: "No, most definitely not."

Mr Wright asked him if he was present when Mr Witham broke into Ms Dale's house and shot her, Mr Peers replied: "No, I was not present."

Mr Peers said on the night Ms Dale was shot he was at his parents' home in Roby, watching a boxing match on television.

"I was watching the fight. I was lying down on the rug in the front room with my dad, and that's where I watched it," he said.

When Mr Wright asked him if he had taken part in any plot to murder Mr Harrison, Mr Peers said: "No, I never took part in any plot."

He said Mr Harrison was "a nice lad" and he had "never had no trouble with him in my life".

Asked about the alleged dispute between Mr Harrison and Niall Barry, he said: "I was unaware of anything, especially any 'beef' between the two of them."

Mr Peers told the jury that he knew all the other defendants and had travelled in the grey Hyundai car allegedly used in the shooting on "a number of occasions".

Mr Witham, Mr Fitzgibbon, Mr Zeisz, Mr Barry and Mr Peers also deny conspiracy to murder Mr Harrison, possession of a prohibited Skorpion sub-machine gun and ammunition.

Kallum Radford, denies assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

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