Four men have been jailed for life for the murder of a 28-year-old woman who was shot with a machine gun in her home.
Environmental health worker Ashley Dale 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.
At Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, Witham was jailed for a minimum of 43 years.
Niall Barry, 26, who was described by the prosecution as the “malign presence” behind Ms Dale’s killing, was sentenced to a minimum term of 47 years.
Joseph Peers, 29, said to be a “foot soldier” who drove Witham to the scene, was sentenced to at least 41 years and Sean Zeisz, 28, who was accused of organising and encouraging the attack with Barry, was told to serve a minimum of 42 years.
The four men were found guilty following a seven-week trial of the murder of Ms Dale, conspiracy to murder her boyfriend Lee Harrison and conspiracy to possess a a prohibited weapon - a Skorpion sub-machine gun - and ammunition with intent to endanger life.