Four men have been sentenced to a combined 124 years in prison for the murder of grandmother Jackie Rutter, who was shot dead on her own doorstep in Wirral in October 2022. The killing, described by the judge as an act of extreme violence linked to drug dealing, saw two defendants brawl in court after being found guilty.
The prosecution said the murder was motivated by a robbery or 'taxing' over a stolen phone used to manage a drug line. James Byrne carried out the shooting, with Barrie Glynn acting as getaway driver. Simon Allen torched the stolen car used in the attack, and David Harrison allowed his home to be used as a base. A fifth defendant, Anna McGinn, who drove Byrne home afterwards, has fled to Turkey.
At Liverpool Crown Court, Byrne was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years. Allen and Harrison received life with minimum terms of 28 and 26 years respectively, while Glynn was sentenced to 30 years, requiring him to serve at least two-thirds. After the verdict, Byrne threw a water bottle at Allen, prompting Allen to shout 'f***ing k***head' and attempt to attack him before being restrained.
Mr Justice Goose told the court: 'The victim was Jackie Rutter, a 58-year-old grandmother with a lifelong drug addiction... She was an innocent victim of the extreme violence which is common currency among drug dealers.' He noted the murder involved substantial preparation, including observation of the property and a planned getaway.
Jackie's daughter, Louise Rutter, said her mother's death caused her to relapse after being clean from drugs for eight weeks, adding: 'She will not see me have my first child... My mum was always my best friend.'
