Grant Hunter, a 34-year-old paid assassin, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 26 years for shooting dead Marc Webley outside an Edinburgh pub on New Year's Eve. The sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday concluded a gangland murder case that shocked Scotland's capital.
Hunter fired four shots at Webley, 38, just after 11:30pm on December 31, 2023, outside the Anchor Inn in Granton. The victim died in the early hours of New Year's Day at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Hunter also admitted the attempted murder of Stewart Pearson, who was injured in the attack.
A calculated killing
Lord Mulholland described the killing as «a planned murder for financial gain, committed in the furtherance of serious organised crime». The judge told Hunter: «The fact you fired four shots at him showed beyond any doubt you wanted him dead.»
In a chilling detail, Hunter removed his balaclava before the shooting, deliberately showing his face to Webley. Lord Mulholland said: «It is beyond sinister that you wanted your victim to see your face, which is another aggravating factor.» The decision proved to be Hunter's «undoing» - CCTV footage of his unmasked face enabled police to identify and arrest him.
Hunter arrived at the pub in a stolen Hyundai SUV and used a handgun that has never been recovered. Pub staff and customers attempted CPR on Webley, but he died from the catastrophic injuries.
Defiant to the end
During sentencing, Hunter stood with folded arms, prompting Lord Mulholland to tell him: «I am asking you to unfold your arms. Show some respect for the court.» As he was led away, Hunter grinned and gave a thumbs up to the public gallery.
Lord Mulholland warned: «Your cowardly actions will haunt you for the rest of your life. You may never be released.»
Hunter's lawyer, Tony Lenehan KC, acknowledged: «I acknowledge at the outset the offending of the sort captured in this guilty plea does not lend itself to mitigation. He is still a relatively young man but he knows will pay a heavy price.»
Co-accused jailed
Two others received jail sentences for attempting to pervert the course of justice. Emma McVie, 27, Hunter's girlfriend, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for cleaning the stolen Hyundai and washing their clothes. Gary Robertson, 22, received six-and-a-half years for helping to dispose of the murder weapon.
Organised crime background
Marc Webley was suspected by police of involvement in organised crime and had received warnings about threats to his life. He was wearing a stab vest when he was shot. CCTV footage showed him holding a knife before the attack.
At a court hearing last November, prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC revealed Hunter had «expressed frustration at having to wait to be paid» and «suggested he expected to be paid a substantial amount of money for the shooting». Judge Frank Mulholland stated: «the streets of Edinburgh and Scotland are not war zones, this is not Chicago in the 1930s».
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
