Two men are set to stand trial later this year charged with the murder of Ashley Dale.
The 28-year-old died after being found unconscious in the back yard of her home on Leinster Road, Old Swan, shortly after midnight on August 21 last year. Detectives said a gunman had burst through her front door and fired multiple shots "indiscriminately", one of which had struck the Knowsley Council environmental health officer in the abdomen.
Merseyside Police previously said detectives do not believe she was the intended target of the shooter, although it is thought that the "address was targeted". Two men - 26-year-old Niall Barry, of Moscow Drive in Tuebrook, and 27-year-old Sean Zeisz, of Longreach Road in Huyton - were charged with her murder on Monday.
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They appeared before Liverpool Crown Court this morning, Wednesday, via video link to HMP Wakefield. Both only spoke to confirm their names and dates of birth during a brief hearing.
Barry and Zeisz are now due to stand trial over the course of six to eight weeks beginning on October 3 this year. They were remanded into custody by Judge David Aubrey KC ahead of a scheduled plea hearing on June 30.
Forty-year-old James Witham, of Ashbury Road in Huyton and 28-year-old Joseph Peers, of Woodlands Road in Roby, were previously charged with Ms Dale's murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Their cases have also been listed for trial in October.
A third man, Kallum Radford, has been charged with assisting an offender in relation to the investigation into Ms Dale's death. The 25-year-old, of Treatham Road in Kirkby, is accused of "taking possession" of a Hyundai i30 car "used by offenders" at an house on Waring Avenue in St Helens and has been released on bail ahead of an appearance before the crown court on March 1.
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