Four men deny murder of grandmother shot at home

Jacqueline Rutter, 53, was shot in the chest in in Moreton in October 2022.

Four men have denied the murder of a grandmother who was shot in her home.

Jacqueline Rutter, 53, was shot in the chest in in Moreton, Wirral, Merseyside, at about 01:00 GMT on 30 October 2022.

Simon Allen, 54, of no fixed address, James Byrne, 23, of no fixed address, Barrie Glynn, 46, of Westway in Heswall, and David Harrison, 58, of Old Meadow Road in Pensby, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court.

All four, who appeared via videolink from three different prisons, denied murder.

The defendants also denied possession of a 9mm pistol and ammunition with intent to endanger life, and arson of a stolen Vauxhall Insignia.

Anna McGinn, 26, of Frankby, Wirral, appeared in the dock and denied two counts of assisting an offender.

According to the charges, she is alleged to have driven Byrne and a second man, Preston Connolly, from Heswall to their home addresses on 30 October 2022.

Judge David Aubrey KC adjourned the case until a pre-trial hearing on 8 September with the trial set for 6 October, the court heard.