Murdered city worker Ashley Dale’s boyfriend has posted sick ‘tributes’ two years after her killing.
Ms Dale, 28, was killed at her Old Swan home in Liverpool by James Witham – and then her boyfriend Lee Harrison refused to co-operate with police, the court heard.
Witham, then 41, was jailed on November 22 last year along with Sean Zeisz, 28, Niall Barry, 26, and Joseph Peers, 29, for Ashley’s murder.
The four men were also found guilty of conspiring to kill Lee Harrison and conspiring to possess a Skorpion submachine gun with ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Mr Harrison, who was the target of the shooting that killed Ashley, has now shared pictures of her on social media as her parents condemned his “despicable” behaviour.
Murder victim Ashley Dale’s ex-boyfriend Lee Harrison has posted photos and tributes to her online two years after she was shot dead in her home
Lee Harrison has shared footage of tragic Ashley Dale, 28, at Glastonbury Festival
Ashley’s death came just a day before nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was also killed at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, by Thomas Cashman.
Harrison has now posted pictures of Ashley, including one at Glastonbury Festival, where he clashed with gang rival Niall Barry before the murder, the Sun reported.
He added captions such as, “2 years Ash love and miss you sister” and “2 years I miss you Ash you were a true member hope you are here.” happy heaven i miss you, you took an angel from me, you were fed by a demon.
An Instagram account in her name includes the biographical words “Ashley, my world forever,” along with a profile picture of the couple taking a selfie.
His online posts come as a new documentary released last month examined how Merseyside Police solved the cases and brought Witham and Cashman to justice.
The background to his murder was a quarrel between Barry and his boyfriend Mr Harrison.
Three years before the shooting, Mr Harrison had sided against Barry in a drugs dispute that ended in a bitter disagreement.
The couple met at Glastonbury Festival where they argued with Mr Harrison, allegedly claiming he would stab Barry.
During the police investigation, Mr Harrison failed to assist officers and spent much of his time abroad.
This photo of Mrs Dale was released on the first anniversary of her assassination.
James Witham and Niall Barry are among four men convicted of murdering council worker Ashley Dale
Sean Zeisz and Joseph Peers were also found guilty of murdering Ms Dale and plotting to murder her partner, Lee Harrison.
Mrs. Dale pictured with her mother on her graduation day
Mrs. Dale can be seen in a family photo alongside her father, Steve
Ms Dale’s boyfriend Harrison, who was linked to the volatile Hillsiders gang, had fallen out with his former friend Nail Barry after a drug stash was stolen
At the time, Ashley’s family said their daughter’s relationship with Mr Harrison was linked to why she was shot.
Ashley’s mother Julie Dale criticised Mr Harrison after the guilty verdicts of her daughter’s four killers, saying: “The way he has acted since this happened has been absolutely despicable – really, really.
“He has not shown us any remorse. He has not given us any support. We have never admitted that this had anything to do with him.
“He’s given us a number of reasons why he’s heard that it had something to do with it, and none of them include him, and he still continues – you know, living his life, leaving the country, going on vacation, taking the plunge, let’s say, as if nothing happened and nothing changed for him, and it’s absolutely disgusting, really.”
Ashley was at home in the Old Swan area of Liverpool when Witham opened fire with a Skorpion submachine gun on August 21, 2022.
Ten bullets were fired, one hitting Ashley in the abdomen and five hitting the wall of an upstairs bedroom.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the shooting began after Witham forced his way into the house through the front door.
Before the attack, the tyres of his car were slashed by Peers and Witham in an attempt to create a diversion.
This photo of Mrs. Dale with her dachshund Darla was taken less than an hour before her death.
Mrs Dale (right) with her mother, Julie, who criticised her two killers and her daughter’s boyfriend, Lee Harrison
Witham is seen being arrested for the murder of Mrs Dale. He gave a false name to the officers
Barry, one of the organizers of the shooting, in the back of a police car, handcuffed
Pictured, from left, at a party: Sean Zeisz and Niall Barry – who helped carry out the shooting – and Ms Dale’s girlfriend Lee Harrison
Mrs Dale was shot dead in the back garden of her home in Old Swan, Liverpool (pictured)
A family photo of Mrs. Dale with her dachshund Darla
In a previous interview, Ashley’s mother Julie said: “The hardest part is that most of the defendants, almost all of them, knew Ashley and knew her on a friendly basis.
“It’s okay to do what they did, but to stand up and lie about it and talk about her.”
In 2015, Ms Dale’s brother Lewis was shot dead while walking on a towpath in Vauxhall, north Liverpool.
The 16-year-old was shot in the back in a case of mistaken identity.
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