Preston Connolly was absent from court when five people went on trial connected with the murder of Ms Rutter
Preston Connolly was absent from court when five people went on trial connected with the murder of Ms Rutter
17:10, 30 Jan 2026
A man remains on the run after fleeing to Turkey and then Thailand following the revenge murder of Jackie Rutter. The 53-year-old victim, a mum-of-six and a nan-of-five, was shot inside her own home on Meadowbrook Road in Moreton, back in October.
Three men – James Byrne, Simon Allen and David Harrison – were this week convicted of the murder of Ms Rutter, while Barrie Glynn was found guilty of manslaughter. The prosecution’s case said the shooting of Ms Rutter, who was shot in the chest with a gun believed to be a Grand Power self-loading pistol, was not mistaken identity but instead was a “targeted revenge attack in the heat of a dispute over drugs”.
The shooting was motivated by an apparent “robbery” or “taxing”, where two of Ms Rutter’s sons reportedly stole a mobile phone which Byrne and another man, Preston Connolly, had been using to conduct their drug dealing business as part of the “JJ line”.
CCTV played to the jury showed on the night of Ms Rutter’s murder three men arrived at her home in a car, before two approached the front door. Two shots were fired and Ms Rutter was killed.
The prosecution told the court: “The two men who got out of the car to kill Jackie Rutter were the first defendants in this case, James Byrne, and another man called Preston Connolly. They were involved in a drugs business together and were taking revenge.”
Huge sentences were handed down to Byrne, Allen, Harrison and Glynn on Thursday. Byrne was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years behind bars. Allen and Harrison were similarly handed life imprisonments, being ordered to serve at least 28 and 26 years behind bars before becoming eligible for release. Glynn was meanwhile jailed for 30 years, of which he must serve at least two thirds behind bars before he can be freed from prison.
But Connolly was absent from court and the trial heard he had fled the country in late 2023. The prosecution said: “He went to Istanbul from Manchester on the 30th of December 2023. He will have to be tried at a later date, but he is an important figure in the case.”
The ECHO understands after fleeing to Turkey Connolly then went to Thailand. The ECHO understands from there he went to Dubai. An investigation into Connolly’s whereabouts continues despite the sentences handed down on Thursday.
Connolly’s then girlfriend Anna McGinn was found not guilty by the jury of assisting an offender in connection with the shooting. She accepted she met with Connolly on the night of October 29, 2022, but claimed it was simply to collect her house key, which she had accidentally left in Connolly’s coat pocket following a party in Toxteth the night before.
She also admitted picking up both Connolly and Byrne in Heswall following the fatal shooting in the early hours of October 30, but said she had no knowledge of the murder at the time.
The court heard Connolly, also known as Paddy, sold crack cocaine and heroin as part of the “JJ line”. But Ms McGinn said: “The Paddy I know is a party animal who loved that scene, not going out and shooting someone.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard Glynn acted as Connolly and Byrne’s getaway driver. Allen meanwhile torched the stolen car used by the killers, having seemingly performed reconnaissance missions on key locations earlier the same evening. Harrison’s home was allegedly used as a base of operations on the night in question.
Mr Justice Goose, the High Court judge who presided over the trial, said in his sentencing remarks: “This murder was carefully planned and carried out by you, James Byrne, Simon Allen and David Harrison. Barrie Glynn, you have been found guilty of manslaughter. The jury have not been sure that you intended at least really serious harm but were sure of harm falling short of that intention.
“The victim was Jackie Rutter. She died after staggering back into her home, where she collapsed. While Jackie Rutter’s life was blighted by her addiction, she was nothing to do with the JJ line business. She was an innocent victim of the extreme violence which is common currency among drug dealers. Her death has caused profound grief for the family, with which they must live forever.
“The JJ Line had been humiliated by her sons two days earlier. It was decided by you, Byrne and others, that what had happened would not go unpunished. You did not want to lose face in the violent world of drug dealing. This was a killing for revenge.”
