Ashley Dale: Murder-accused made 'stab threat at Glastonbury'

A man accused of murdering a woman in her home threatened to stab her boyfriend at Glastonbury Festival, a court heard.

Ashley Dale, 28, was shot with a Skorpion machine pistol in Old Swan, Liverpool, on 21 August last year.

The shooting was a result of an alleged feud between five men accused of her murder and her partner Lee Harrison.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Miss Dale's partner had been the intended target due to a feud with Niall Barry.

Giving evidence, defendant Ian Fitzgibbon, 28, said he was friends with Mr Harrison.

Mr Fitzgibbon told the jury while attending Glastonbury Festival in June 2022, co-accused Niall Barry had shown him a knife and told him he would stab Mr Harrison, known as Saz.

He said Mr Barry, 26, asked him if he had seen "Saz", before saying: "Tell him when you see him I'm going to stab him up."

He added: "He just pulled out a knife, showed he had a knife, put it back in his pocket."

Mr Fitzgibbon, who told the court he was a cannabis dealer, said he replied "OK" to Mr Barry after he made the threat.

He said: "I was just a bit shocked, I just wanted to get hold of Lee and tell him what's been said."

Asked why he wanted to tell Mr Harrison, he said: "I wouldn't want to see any harm come to Lee, he's my friend."

He described Mr Barry as "drunk" and "off his head".

The jury was told he had spoken to Mr Harrison the following day to "warn" him about Mr Barry.

He then asked if he was involved in organising the murder of Miss Dale, or targeting Mr Harrison.

Mr Fitzgibbon told the court: "No sir, never.

"Lee's been my friend for years, I'd never see no harm come to Lee or Ashley."

Mr Fitzgibbon, Mr Barry, Sean Zeisz, 28, Joseph Peers, 29, and James Witham, 41, deny the murder of Miss Dale, conspiracy to murder Mr Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, a Skorpion sub-machine gun, and ammunition.

Mr Witham has admitted manslaughter.

Kallum Radford, 26, denies assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

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