A hitman who murdered a gangster outside a pub on Hogmanay made jokes about how his victim didn’t live to see the “Bells”, a court has heard.
Grant Hunter, 34, shot Marc Webley, 38, outside the Anchor Inn in Granton, Edinburgh, shortly after 11.30pm on December 31, 2023.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Hunter carried out the hit on Webley on “behalf of others unknown” to law enforcement.
CCTV footage of Hunter parking a stolen Hyundai Tucson car outside the pub was shown in court.
STV NewsHunter then got out of the car and pulled down a balaclava he was wearing so Webley could know who he was.
The pair spoke to each other as a police car drove past two minutes into the four-minute clip.
The footage ended with Hunter producing what police believe was a Slovakian-made pistol, which has never been recovered.
Hunter was then seen to shoot a second man at the scene.
Webley, who was wearing a stab-proof vest, was seen to try to run away before he was shot in the back. He was pronounced dead after being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Shooter hides out across Edinburgh
The court heard how Hunter and his girlfriend Emma McVie, 27, drove from the scene and hid out in various properties in the Edinburgh area.
In the days after the attack, they took cocaine, clothes and money from another man called Gary Robertson, 22.
A witness said he had been in the company of Hunter on January 1 and remembered the hitman making jokes about Webley “not seeing the bells”.
Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC said: “Grant Hunter also expressed frustration at having to wait to be paid for the shooting.
“He suggested that he had expected to be paid a substantial amount of money for the shooting.”
Hunter, of Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to a charge of murdering Webley. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder.
His former partner, McVie, and Robertson pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice in the hours after the gangland hit.
The court heard how McVie cleaned the car which Hunter drove to go and murder Webley.
She also pleaded guilty to washing the clothes that she and her boyfriend had been wearing on the night of the hit.
Robertson, of Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to disposing of the handgun used to murder Webley. He also pleaded guilty to providing cash, cocaine, and a change of clothing for Hunter and McVie.
The trio were remanded in custody.
Lord Mulholland told Hunter he would receive a life sentence, and the two others would receive lengthy custodial terms.
At the start of proceedings, Mr Jessop said Webley was “believed to be involved in organised crime in the Edinburgh area.”
He added: “Marc Webley was aware that his life was in danger due to a feud involving him and others and others involved in serious organised crime in Edinburgh.
“He mentioned this to his family, and on the night of the shooting, he was wearing a stab-proof vest.
“Grant Hunter shot Marc Webley on behalf of others who are meantime unknown to the prosecutor.”
The second victim was found to have one wound to his back – he received treatment and made a full recovery.
Lord Mulholland called for background reports on the trio. They will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on December 17, 2025.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
