AN EYEWITNESS who saw Liverpool teenager Andrew Jones murdered in an unsolved one-punch attack today warned the gang accused of shielding the killer’s identity: “Your silence will come back to haunt you”.
Former taxi driver Mark Byrne, 47, watched on as Andrew Jones’ attacker delivered the devastating blow that led to him fatally cracking his head on the pavement on Hanover Street in 2003.
On the tenth anniversary of the Everton fan’s city centre murder, Mr Byrne spoke out against the gang of nine friends who have been accused of covering up what happened that tragic night.
James Roberts, Lee Paul, Michael Stevens, Neil Jones, James Foy and Chris Townsend, along with Michelle Kelly, Hayley Morrisey and Danielle Phillips were all forced to give evidence at an inquest in 2008.
Coroner Andre Rebello said the suspects would “leave court under a shadow because one of them was a killer”.
Mr Byrne recalled how he saw a “shoving match” going on as he drove on to Hanover Street, with Andrew immediately surrounded by six people. He said he remembers what happened vividly.
Mr Byrne told the ECHO: “They were pushing one another backwards and forwards, then a punch came out of the middle of the group.
“He landed right by my cab. I said to myself ‘get up and hit him back’ but it never happened. He wasn’t moving.
“Another male prodded him with his foot, not kicking him as such, but as if to say ‘get up and fight’.”
