{"id":39524,"date":"2023-11-22T12:49:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T12:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/miamiheatnation.com\/?p=39524"},"modified":"2023-11-22T12:49:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T12:49:13","slug":"ashley-dales-killers-jailed-for-173-years-as-she-wins-justice-from-beyond-grave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/miamiheatnation.com\/world-news\/ashley-dales-killers-jailed-for-173-years-as-she-wins-justice-from-beyond-grave\/","title":{"rendered":"Ashley Dale’s killers jailed for 173 years as she wins justice from beyond grave"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    A gang of four men have been jailed for life for the heartless killing of Ashley Dale in her own home as a judge called the machine gun slaying 'beyond understanding'. <\/p>\n

    James Witham, 41, Joseph Peers, 29, Niall Barry, 26, and Sean Zeisz, 28, were found guilty on Monday at Liverpool Crown Court of the murder of 28-year-old Ashley, who was shot in August 2022 \u2013 and they have now all been jailed for a total of 173 years.<\/p>\n

    They were also found guilty of conspiracy to murder Ms Dale's boyfriend Lee Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, namely a Skorpion submachine gun, and ammunition with intent to endanger life.<\/p>\n

    Ian Fitzgibbon was cleared of these three charges while a sixth defendant, Kallum Radford, was acquitted of assisting an offender. Paul Greaney KC told jurors during the prosecution's opening last month that gunman Witham and "driver" Peers, were "dispatched" to the home to assassinate Harrison and "leave no witnesses".<\/p>\n

    READ MORE: Ashley Dale murder verdict \u2013 four guilty of killing council worker in own home<\/b><\/p>\n

    For the latest news from the Daily Star, <\/b>click here<\/i><\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n

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    Sean Zeisz was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 42 years in prison. Niall Barry got life with a minimum term of 47 years, James Witham was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 43 years and Joseph Peers got life with a minimum term of 41 years.<\/p>\n

    Before the judge delivered his sentences, he said: "The use of a military grade submachine gun to kill a woman in her own home at night is beyond any understanding."<\/p>\n

    He added: \u201cJust after half past midnight, Witham got out of the car wearing a balaclava to hide his face. He broke through the locked front door, walked into the dining room. <\/p>\n

    "Ashley was moving towards the kitchen to escape, and there were lights on so she was visible. Witham wickedly fired 10 bullets towards her as she was vulnerable and defenceless. One passed through her abdomen and killed her. Leaving her dying, James Witham went upstairs to look for Lee Harrison. he fired again into the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n

    They had allegedly received their orders from Barry, Zeisz and Fitzgibbon – who were said to have been "directing operations" from a flat nearby. The court heard that, at around 11.40pm on August 20, 2022, two men approached Ashley\u2019s white Volkswagen T-Roc car – which was parked outside the house – and slashed its tyres, causing the alarm to sound, in an effort to "lure" the occupants out.<\/p>\n

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