Ashley and Maxine decide to have a baby and after months of trying, it is discovered that Ashley needs minor surgery. While he is in hospital overnight, Maxine gets drunk and has a one-night stand with local doctor Matt Ramsden (Stephen Beckett) and subsequently becomes pregnant with his child. When Joshua (Benjamin Beresford) is born in 2002, Maxine lets Ashley believe that he is the father and Ashley is named on the birth certificate. Maxine tells Ashley the truth and he is hurt and betrayed by her actions, but he forgives her and agrees to raise Joshua as his son and asks her never to reveal to anybody that he is not Joshua's biological father. In January 2003, Maxine is murdered by Richard Hillman (Brian Capron), leaving Ashley devastated. At Maxine's funeral, her boss Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) causes a scene and accuses Richard of murdering Maxine and attempting to kill her and Emily. Later at the wake in The Rovers', Ashley is very angry with Audrey and does not accept her apology. However, he accepts the support of Audrey's daughter, Gail (Helen Worth), Richard's wife. Ashley is further devastated when a blood test confirms that Matt is indeed Joshua's biological father.