Ashley Dale murder suspect admits killing council worker who was shot dead

A man accused of murdering Ashley Dale has admitted to killing the council worker who was shot to death.

James Witham has admitted to killing the 28-year-old who died after being found unresponsive in the back yard of her home in Old Swan, Merseyside, shortly after midnight on August 21 last year.

Detectives previously stated that a gunman had burst through her front door in Leinster Road and fired multiple shots "indiscriminately", one of which had struck the Knowsley Council environmental health officer in the abdomen.

Witham, of Ashbury Road in Huyton, is one of five men who have been charged with her murder. The 41-year-old appeared before Liverpool Crown Court today, where he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

He is still due to stand trial beginning on October 2, to face charges of murdering Ashley, conspiracy to murder Lee Harrison, possession of a prohibited weapon - namely a Skorpion submachine gun and ammunition - with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon with intent to endanger life, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Double killer who slit girlfriend's throat within weeks of release jailed

Sean Zeisz, 28, of Longreach Road in Huyton, 26-year-old Niall Barry, of Moscow Drive in Tuebrook, and 28-year-old Joseph Peers, of Woodlands Road in Roby, have also pleaded not guilty to the same charges previously.

Ian Fitzgibbon, aged 28 and of Heigham Gardens in St Helens, is yet to enter pleas to these alleged offences. A sixth man - 25-year-old Kallum Radford, of Trentham Road in Kirkby - denies assisting an offender.