16-05-2025
Man convicted of killing Ashley Dale calls new witness in bid to overturn sentence
A man convicted of murdering council worker Ashley Dale has called upon a new witness to help him overturn his conviction and sentence.
Season Zeisz was one of four men convicted of Ashley Dale's murder, after she was shot inside her own house in Old Swan in August 2022.
Twenty-eight year old Ashley Dale's life was tragically cut short when James Witham stormed her Old Swan, Liverpool, home, breaking through her locked door to shoot her with a Skorpion submachine gun on August 21, Crown Court learned during a 2023 trial that her partner, Lee Harrison, was the actual target of the fatal shooting.
During his trial a jury heard that, while Zeisz did not pull the trigger, he "actively and intentionally encouraged the shooting".
Zeisz and his co-defendants James Witham, Joseph Peers and Niall Barry were unanimously convicted by a jury after a seven-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court in late 2023. Zeisz was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 42 years behind bars.
Zeisz was due to bring his case before the Court of Appeal on Friday 16 May to challenge his conviction and sentence.
Shortly after the hearing began, his counsel Adam Davis KC and Tim Forte KC applied to adjourn while they confirmed if a new witness was willing to give evidence.
Mr Davis told the court it was "regrettable" but "we received last night a witness statement type-signed but not hand-signed from a witness who evidence had been chased from".
He said it was their "preliminary view" that the witness's evidence was relevant to the case review but they wanted to make sure he was willing to give the evidence in Davis told the court: "The evidence was not available to the applicant at trial. It is our firm view that this evidence could assist. It is a matter for the court to admit the evidence."
Lord Justice Baker, who presided over the hearing with Mr Justice Soole and Her Honour Judge Heather Norton, said it was difficult to adjourn the matter without knowing the nature of the evidence.
Mr Davis responded: "I think the content will reveal not only the subject matter but also the identity of the person."
He added: "Our concern is about the safety of the witness."He added the witness had indicated "a reluctance and fear [to give evidence] and we have to be alive to that".
Mr Davis told the court: "The indication is the witness was panicking, on medication as a result of these matters."He indicated he did not want to be dragged back into it, did not want his name in the papers. He indicated he's still not alright now but is willing to provide the evidence… we are resistant to give further details."
After the judges rose briefly, Lord Justice Baker confirmed the matter was adjourned so Zeisz's counsel could obtain a signed statement from the unnamed witness to adduce the fresh evidence. The case will next be heard before the Court of Appeal on July on the murder trial heard gunman Witham and "driver" Peers, were "dispatched" to Leinster Road to assassinate Harrison and "leave no witnesses".
They received their orders from Barry and Zeisz, who were said to have been directing operations from a flat on Pilch Lane in Huyton.
The court heard "certain events at Glastonbury Festival" in June 2022 had played an important part in the alleged motive behind the attack. This included associates of Ms Dale's boyfriend Harrison assaulting Zeisz, who was arguing with everyone in defence of Barry. Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told the trial: "It is clear that Sean Zeisz felt deeply humiliated from what had happened at Glastonbury."
The court also heard that Barry then sided with Zeisz, with this "fresh" dispute having compounded a "separate and longstanding antagonism towards Lee Harrison", who was not present at the time of the attack.
