Man admits manslaughter of council worker shot dead in home but denies murder

Ashley Dale was shot in her again backyard final summer time (Household handout/PA)
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man has admitted the illegal killing of a council employee shot lifeless at dwelling.

James Witham, 41, pleaded responsible to the manslaughter of Ashley Dale, 28, at a Liverpool Crown Court docket listening to on Thursday, a court docket spokesman mentioned.

Witham, of Ashbury Highway, Huyton, continues to disclaim homicide and is because of stand trial from October 2.

Miss Dale, an environmental well being employee for Knowsley Council, was discovered with a gunshot wound within the again backyard of her dwelling in Outdated Swan, Liverpool, on August 21 final 12 months.

Sean Zeisz, 27; Niall Barry, 26; Joseph Friends, 29; and Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, are additionally charged with homicide and are as a consequence of stand trial subsequent month alongside Witham and Kallum Radford, who denies helping an offender.

Miss Dale was one among three individuals shot lifeless inside per week in Liverpool final 12 months – with nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel killed in her Dovecot dwelling on August 22 and Sam Rimmer, 22, killed in Dingle on August 16.