Watch: Ashley Dale murder case and verdict explained as four guilty men await sentencing

Four men have been convicted of the murder of Ashley Dale after a seven-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court came to a conclusion on Monday.

Ms Dale, 28, was shot dead in August last year when a gunman burst into her home and opened fire with a Skorpion sub-machine gun. She was found in the back garden of her home on Leinster Road with a fatal gunshot wound.

During the trial, the court heard how Ms Dale's boyfriend, Lee Harrison, had been the intended target of the attack after a dispute at Glastonbury Festival had reignited a feud. Harrison, who was described in court as a drug dealer at odds with a rival gang, was not there at the time of the attack.

Ms Dale's own mobile phone proved crucial in bringing those responsible for her death to justice. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings said: “The most significant was the evidence recovered was from Ashley‘s phone which was recovered just an arm’s-length away from her. The sheer volume of data contained on this device meant that an intense attention to detail was required.

"For me as a senior investigating officer, this was the most compelling and emotional part of the case. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen evidence of the murder victim play such a crucial role in a court case. Ashley was narrating her own story and events that led up to her death. There was a barely is a dry eye in the court room as her increased fear and anxiety was played out from recoveredvoice notes from her phone."

On Monday, a jury found gunman James Witham, Sean Zeisz, Niall Barry and Joseph Peers guilty of her murder. The four men will be sentenced on Wednesday 22 November.

• Watch the video above for our full feature on the Ashley Dale case and verdict as the four men convicted of her murder await sentencing.