Police release CCTV footage after Ashley Dale shot dead in her garden in Old Swan

Detectives investigating the shooting of Ashley Dale in Old Swan have released CCTV footage of a car being driven in the area, shortly before her death.

The Knowsley Council worker, 28, was found in the back garden of her home on Leinster Road with a fatal gunshot wound at around 12.40am on Sunday, August 21.

An extensive investigation is underway including forensic, witness and house-to-house enquiries. At this stage, police do not believe Ms Dale was the intended target of the intruders who broke into her home.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said Ms Dale was an ‘innocent member of the public’ who had been ‘thoughtlessly shot’.

CCTV enquiries so far have shown that a car was being driven into Leinster Road at around 12.30am, roughly 10 minutes before the incident was reported.

Officers wish to speak to the occupants of the car, who may have vital information which could help in the murder investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings said: “Our officers are working round-the-clock to investigate this appalling incident which led to the tragic death of a young woman.

“Our enquiries so far show that a car was driven into Leinster Road, not too long before the incident was reported to police. If it was you driving the car, you were a passenger or the CCTV jogs your memory about anything you might have seen in the early hours of Sunday morning then please get in touch. Information you have could be crucial to our ongoing investigation.

“From reviewing CCTV footage in the area, we have also identified that there were a number of people on foot around the time of the incident. A boxing match had not long finished and so the area was relatively busy with people on foot, going home or into town after the match.

“If you were walking in the area of Leinster Road or on Prescot Road, including the crossroads near the Navigator pub between 12.20am and 12.40am on Sunday morning then please let us know. You may have seen or heard something which could really help us find those responsible.”

Family pay tribute to ‘shining light’

Ms Dale’s younger brother, Lewis Dunne, was shot dead in 2015 by a Liverpool gang who mistook him for a member of a rival crew. Their deaths are not believed to be connected.

The family of Ms Dale, said: “Our hearts are broken into a million pieces.

“Ashley was a hard working young woman, who had her entire life ahead of her. Her laugh, smile and energy was infectious in any room.

“We can’t come to terms with how this would happen to a defenceless woman in her own home. None of this makes sense and our lives will never be the same again. A senseless crime that has torn a family apart. Justice needs to be brought.”

How to contact the police

Information and video footage can shared directly with the investigation team via the police public portal -  Public Portal (mipp.police.uk).

You can also contact the police via social media @MerPolCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 22000615873.”