Woman pleads not guilty to murder of Joanne Penney

A woman has pleaded not guilty to murdering a woman who was shot dead in south Wales.

Joanne Penney, 40, was pronounced dead after suffering fatal injuries at an address in Talbot Green on March 9.

Eight people have now appeared before Cardiff Crown Court to deny charges in connection with her death.

On Friday, Melissa Quailey-Dashper, 39, from Leicester, appeared before the court to deny a charge of murder.

Organised crime group

She 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 Quailey-Dashper that a trial had been set for October 20.

On Monday, seven other defendants appeared in court in connection with the case.

Joshua Gordon, 27, Marcus Huntley, 20, Jordan Mills-Smith, 33, Kristina Ginova, 21, and Tony Porter, 68, pleaded not guilty to murder.

Gordon, of Oadby, Leicestershire, Huntley, from St Mellons, Cardiff, Mills-Smith, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, Ginova, from Oadby, Leicestershire, and Porter, from Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, denied participating in the activities of an organised crime group between March 11 2024 and March 11 this year.

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.

Self-loading pistol

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.

Cooper denied possessing, purchasing or acquiring ammunition, namely 16 live 8mm calibre blank pistol cartridges reloaded with improvised projectiles, without having a firearms certificate.

The defendants were remanded into custody ahead of the next hearing in the case.

An inquest into Ms 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, causing injuries to her heart and lung.

Emergency services found Ms Penney with serious injuries and she was pronounced dead.

In a tribute issued after her death, Ms 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.”