Rhys’ parents renew plea to killer to hand himself in

Sep 20 2007 by Jessica Shaughnessy, Liverpool Daily Post

Rhys Jones's family

THE parents of murdered Rhys Jones last night pleaded for his killer to come forward four weeks after he was shot dead as he walked home from playing football.

Speaking a week before their youngest son was due to celebrate his birthday, Melanie and Steve Jones, who will see their 20th wedding anniversary the day before, said justice is the only thing that would give them peace.

With tears in her eyes, Mrs Jones said: “Our little Rhys would have been 12 next week. He wanted a new mobile phone for his present.

“We always go to the Chinese for his birthday. That’s his favourite meal. I don’t know if we can go out next week.

“The only reason we are speaking out today, the only reason, is because we need help. We need witnesses to come forward. We need the person who killed our son to be caught and brought to justice.

“It’s the only way we can get a bit of peace. It’s the only way we can move forward.”

Sitting beside her at yesterday’s press conference, her husband added: “Four weeks ago we were a normal family. All that changed when Rhys lost his life.

“We know there are people out there who know who has done this and we ask them to come forward.

“Next week will be a traumatic week for us. It will be our 20th anniversary and then the day after that is Rhys’ birthday. It will be very traumatic.”

Glancing tenderly at his wife, Mr Jones added: “We have to stay strong for each other.”

Rhys died on August 22 after he was shot in the neck as he walked home from playing football.

Four weeks after his death, 17 people have been arrested, but so far nobody has been charged.

Mr and Mrs Jones yester-day said they have every faith in Merseyside Police in their hunt for the killer.

They spoke as crews from BBC’s Crimewatch pro-gramme filmed a reconstruc-tion of the murder outside the Fir Tree pub. The programme is expected to be broadcast next week.

Detective superintendent Dave Kelly reiterated Rhys’ parents’ calls for witnesses to come forward.

He renewed an appeal for a man who contacted officers in the early stages of the investi-gation to contact him again. He gave the potential witness a reassurance he would be protected if he plucked up the courage to give evidence.

Det Supt Kelly also pleaded for a woman who was seen leaving Croxteth shortly after Rhys’ death to come forward.

He said: “We need to speak to the man who called us at 11.10pm on Saturday, August 25. I know and he knows that he possesses vital information and could be key to the investigation. I would say to him, you were very brave to come forward, please go one step further and at least meet with me one to one. Give me the opportunity to explain to you what measures we can take to protect you.

jessicashaughnessy@dailypost.co.uk