Rhys Jones: 17-year-old murder accused remanded in custody

Apr 17 2008

The mother of Rhys Jones wept in court today as she came face-to-face with her son’s alleged killer.

Melanie Jones, 42, held a white handkerchief to her face and was comforted by husband Stephen, 45, as the couple saw the 17-year-old brought into the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court.

The boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, spoke in a heavy Scouse accent only to confirm his name and address.

As the murder charge was read Mrs Jones, who cradled dying Rhys in her arms last August, looked at the teenager and dabbed her eyes.

The boy, dressed in a black hooded tracksuit and with short brown hair, was flanked by two security guards in the dock.

The suspect’s mother, dressed in a black trouser suit and black coat, was taken from the back of the court to sit just in front of the dock.

The defendant said goodbye to her and she smiled as he was taken down.

The boy appeared with three other teenagers - all were remanded to April 25 at Liverpool youth court.

One 16-year-old boy, charged with assisting an offender, was accused of providing the alleged killer with a false alibi and hiding the murder weapon.

He was also charged with being in possession of a Smith and Wesson .55 revolver, ammunition and a replica 8mm pistol.

The district judge described the crimes as "grave" and remanded him to detention.

Another 16-year-old boy, charged with assisting an offender, was accused of disposing of the murder weapon, clothing and a bicycle used in the killing.

The boy’s mother sat in court with a purple Unite anti-gun ribbon pinned on her coat.

The boy was remanded to secure local authority accommodation after members of Merseyside’s youth offending team, deemed him "vulnerable".

Another boy, aged 17 and charged with assisting an offender, was said to have helped dispose of the murder weapon and clothing.

Melvin Coy, 24, of Abbeyfield Drive, and Gary Kays, 25, of Mallard Close, both West Derby, Liverpool, were remanded to next Friday charged with assisting an offender.

Rhys, 11, was killed on August 22 as he walked home in Croxteth Park from football training.

The football-mad youngster, still wearing his Everton kit, was blasted through the neck by a hooded gunman on a mountain bike.

Rhys was the innocent victim of a turf war between two street gangs in the Croxteth and Norris Green area of Liverpool, according to one theory.

Today’s hearing involved an extremely tight security operation.

Reporters were forced to hand in mobile phones to police and were body searched.

Outside the building hundreds of feet of road was sectioned off to prevent vehicles stopping.

More than 20 police vans and cars were positioned around the perimeters of the court with dozens of officers outside.

Entering the building 10 officers were stationed at the metal detectors.

Upstairs, and outside Court 2 where the proceedings were held, seven more officers were on patrol.

Two dog handlers with Alsatians added to the numbers.

And inside court another five officers maintained order as relatives of the defendants and the victim sat patiently waiting for the hearing to begin.

A 20-year-old man remains in police custody and continues to be questioned.