LIVE: Ashley Dale's murderers are sentenced to 173 years in jail

Four men have been sentenced to life in jail for the murder of Ashley Dale who was shot dead with a machine gun in her home.

Environmental health worker Ashley was killed when gunman James Witham, 41, forced his way into her home in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of August 21 last year, and opened fire with a Skorpion submachine gun.

Witham, who had admitted manslaughter, and co-defendants Joseph Peers, 29, Niall Barry, 26 and Sean Zeisz, 28, were found guilty of murder on Monday after a seven-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

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Zeisz, Barry, Witham and getaway driver Joseph Peers, 29, were all convicted by unanimous decision of murdering Ashley, conspiracy to murder her boyfriend, Lee Harrison, and conspiracy to possess a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

A fifth man, 28-year-old Ian Fitzgibbon, was found not guilty of those charges, while Kallum Radford, 26, was cleared of assisting an offender by storing the car used in the shooting.

Follow live coverage below, where we will be bringing you all the latest court updates via the Liverpool Echo. The court case is due to get underway from 11am.

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Justice Goose asks for the defendants to be taken down to the cells.

Mr Greaney rises, and says Ashley’s family has asked him to mention a “small point” publicly.

PG: “Under the leadership of Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings, the investigation into A’shleys death was one of exceptional