Drug dealers behind Ashley Dale killing netted more than £2m from crime - but will pay back a quid each

Two of Ashley Dale's killers benefited from crime to the tune of more than £2 million - but will have to pay back just £1 each.

Niall Barry and Sean Zeisz were the 'organisers' of the horrifying attack, in which the innocent 28-year-old council worker was shot dead with a Skorpion submachine gun in her own home in Liverpool. The intended target had been her boyfriend, who had been involved in a 'deep-seated drug feud' with Barry, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Barry and Zeisz were both found guilty of the murder, committed in the early hours of August 21 2022 in the Old Swan area of the city. They were convicted of her murder, alongside gunman James Witham and getaway driver Joseph Peers, following a seven-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court last year. Both Barry and Zeisz were also convicted of drug trafficking offences in relation to encrypted communications platform EncroChat. They returned to the same court today, Friday, for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act in a bid by prosecutors to claw back their ill-gotten gains.

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Zeisz was seen smiling and giving a thumbs up towards the public gallery and said "y'alright" to his supporters as he entered the dock, with one man in the public gallery blowing him a kiss and another waving in his direction. Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, outlined how the 29-year-old, of Longreach Road in Huyton, was found to have benefited to the tune of £686,350 from his involvement in criminal activity.

Richard Reynolds, defending, confirmed that this was an agreed figure, but Zeisz was said to currently have no assets available. Judge Denis Watson KC therefore made the order with a nominal amount of £1,