A woman has pleaded not guilty to murdering Joanne Penney, who was shot dead at her home in South Wales in March. Melissa Quailey-Dashper, 39, from Leicester, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Friday to deny the charge.
Penney, 40, was pronounced dead after suffering fatal injuries at an address in Talbot Green on March 9. Emergency services found her with serious injuries but she could not be saved.
Eight defendants deny charges
Quailey-Dashper also pleaded not guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group, namely the Rico organised crime group, between March 11 2024 and March 11 this year. Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, told her that a trial had been set for October 20.
Seven other defendants appeared in court on Monday in connection with the case. Joshua Gordon, 27, Marcus Huntley, 20, Jordan Mills-Smith, 33, Kristina Ginova, 21, and Tony Porter, 68, all pleaded not guilty to murder.
Organised crime group allegations
The five defendants also denied participating in the activities of an organised crime group between March 11 2024 and March 11 this year. Gordon is from Oadby, Leicestershire, Huntley from St Mellons, Cardiff, Mills-Smith from Pentwyn, Cardiff, Ginova from Oadby, Leicestershire, and Porter from Braunstone Town, Leicestershire.
Sai Raj Manne, 25, of no fixed address, and Molly Cooper, 33, from Leicester, also denied participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Manne pleaded not guilty to possessing, purchasing or acquiring a firearm, namely an 8mm calibre self-loading pistol modified to enable the discharge of ammunition without legal authority.
Firearms charges denied
Cooper denied possessing, purchasing or acquiring ammunition, namely 16 live 8mm calibre blank pistol cartridges reloaded with improvised projectiles, without having a firearms certificate. All defendants were remanded into custody ahead of the next hearing in the case.
An inquest into Penney's death which opened in March was told she died after being shot in the chest at an address in Llys Illtyd, in Talbot Green. The injuries caused damage to her heart and lung.
Family pays tribute
In a tribute issued after her death, Penney's family said: "We are devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved Joanne. She was a daughter, mother, sister and niece - loved deeply by all who knew her."
"Her kindness, strength and love for her family will never be forgotten," the family added.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
