On the first anniversary of the shocking death of Rhys Jones, Liza Williams and Laura Sharpe look at the impact of his murder on the local community, the world’s perception of Liverpool, and how events in his name are helping to address social issues

THE shooting of 11-year-old schoolboy Rhys Jones a year ago today shocked our city, the country and filled thousands of column inches around the world last August.

The needless death of another youngster threw Liverpool into an unwanted spotlight yet again as an example of a violent city, a place where even children are no longer safe. Rhys’s death, passing away in his mother’s arms after being shot in the neck on his way home from football practice in Croxteth Park, has been held up as a symbol of how British society is failing.

Some coverage has reinforced old stereotypes, portraying Liverpool as a dangerous place where a gun culture is rife. And, although almost 15 years had passed since the city’s other infamous child death – that of toddler James Bulger – the echoes were all too apparent.

Mike Keating, from Liverpool Hope University’s Criminology department, has a keen interest in media coverage of the city, and has followed the press dating back to the similarly high-profile death of James in 1993.

But he believes the negative impression left by the tragic death of young Rhys has not had the same impact as that of James.

He said: “Back in the 1980s and early 90s, nationally and internationally Liverpool was getting a dreadful press.

“Newspapers in Sweden and Germany said Liverpool was ‘finished’ and the only people left were those collecting their Giros.

“After Rhys died, Panorama returned to Croxteth for a story on gangs, their get-out clause was that they said it could have been any city in the country – but it wasn’t, they came to Liverpool.

“However, the city has wised up to its poor image, particularly during this Capital of Culture year, and worked to change its image.”

Mr Keating says that, when James Bulger died, the whole city was in “total despair”, but with Rhys there is far more hope.

“Looking back to James Bulger’s death, everyone was horrified when it happened. When I mention his name to students, they reply with information that ‘his killers had watched a violent video’.

“But this has never been proven, yet it sticks in the memory through the drip of negative stories in the media.

“In the Bulger case, it was easy to stereotype the killers and the city, to the wider world it was what you’d expect from Liverpool.

“But with Rhys’s death, the reaction has been different. Nationally, maybe people still have a negative perception of the city, but people who know the city, live here, and those who visit the city, it hasn’t changed their perception.

“Those people don’t make assumptions, they don’t just pick up things from the press. The Rhys concert at the Echo Arena really showed that the city was behind the family and Everton Football Club (Rhys was a huge Everton fan) have been very positive in all their work.

“With James Bulger, there was total despair; but, with Rhys, the response has been far more positive.

“It’s a reflection on Liverpool that the city wanted to do something about it and has remembered Rhys and supported his fund.” Professor Michael Parkinson, director of Liverpool John Moores University’s European Institute of Urban Affairs, has close links with business and investors in the city.

He said: “What happened to Rhys was terrible for everyone, his family and the community and we can’t forget what happened.

“However, one year on, if you ask me how developers and investors perceive Liverpool, I don’t think anything has changed.

“Businesses looking to come to Liverpool will have heard about Rhys, but they will also have seen the Capital of Culture year, Liverpool One opening, new hotels being built and the development of the waterfront.

“No-one wants to hear of crimes in an area, but investors look long term – the sad, recent killings of young people in London have not stopped investment in the city.

“Around 10 to 20 years ago every bit of bad news dragged Liverpool down and further down, any crime was another nail in the coffin.

“But the city is through that now, Liverpool is successful, it’s become a grown-up place and is catching up with other core cities.

“The city has a future, and it’s taken a long time but there is good news coming out of Liverpool.”

lizawilliams