Four men deny murder after nan shot dead in own home aged 53
James Byrne, David Harrison, Simon Allen and Barrie Glynn are all charged with the murder of Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ RutterFour men have denied the murder of Jackie Rutter. The mum-of-six and grandmother-of-five was shot dead aged 53 at her home on Meadowbrook Road in Moreton, Wirral, in October 2022.Simon Allen, James Byrne, Barrie Glynn and David Harrison were charged with her murder and possession of a firearm, namely a self loading 9mm calibre pistol, and ammunition with intent to endanger life earlier this year. They are also accused of a further count of arson, which alleges that they set fire to and destroyed a stolen Vauxhall Insignia, they appeared before Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon, Friday, alongside Anna McGinn, who is charged with assisting an offender in connection with the fatal shooting.Allen, 55 and of no fixed address, appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse wearing a white Adidas t-shirt and sporting glasses and short grey hair. Byrne, aged 23 and also of no fixed address, was brought on to the video link from HMP Manchester in a grey Montirex tracksuit top.Glynn, 46 and of Westway in Heswall, and 59-year-old Harrison, of Old Meadow Road in Pensby, meanwhile appeared remotely from HMP Liverpool wearing a blue and white striped t-shirt and a black Levi's t-shirt respectively. McGinn, of Frankby Stiles in Frankby, appeared in the dock wearing all black and carrying a black handbag, with the two charges against the 26-year-old stating that she drove Byrne and a second man, Preston Connolly, from Heswall to their respective home address while "knowing or believing them to be guilty of murder".All five spoke to confirm their names during a brief hearing before pleading not guilty to all charges with a trial, lasting six to eight weeks, due to begin before the same court on October 6. The male defendants were further remanded into custody ahead of a pre-trial review on September 8, with McGinn being released on conditional bail.Adjourning the hearing, Judge David Aubrey KC said: "I formally adjourn this case to the 8th of September for a pre-trial review. I formally record that the trial is listed on the 6th of October."The ECHO previously reported that Ms Rutter was shot in her own doorway at around 1.45am on October 30 2022, being struck in the chest in what Merseyside Police described as a "targeted attack". One relative said following her death: "Jackie wouldn't hurt a fly. She was the sweetest woman you could ever meet."She was a loving mother. She'd do anything for anybody. She'd give you the last coin in her purse. She was the life and soul of the party. She was one in a million."
