15-year-old in custody over Rhys murder

Aug 29 2007

A 15-year-old boy was in custody tonight over the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, as the detective heading the inquiry made a personal plea for one crucial witness to come forward.

Rhys was gunned down a week ago today by a youth on a BMX bike in the car park of a pub in Croxteth, Liverpool, close to where the Everton fan had been playing football with his friends.

Merseyside police said the 15-year-old, who is from the local area, was detained this morning on suspicion of murder.

Ten other youths have already been detained on suspicion of murder over the past week, with six bailed and four released without charge.

Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly, the senior investigating officer in the hunt for Rhys’s killer, later made a plea for one anonymous witness to come forward.

Mr Kelly said the man, who had called police on one previous occasion, had provided significant information which could potentially solve the case.

He made a personal pledge to the man that he would protect his identity if he came forward again.

Mr Kelly said: “One man in particular had provided information. I want to thank him, he’s been very brave.

“We want him to make contact with us again. He can speak to me direct, I will look after him.”

Speaking at the scene of the shooting outside the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth, Mr Kelly said he had seen the effect of the murder on Rhys’s family and described it as devastating.

Then he spoke directly to the killer, saying: “What you have done is wrong and we need to deal with you.

“Please, please come forward, it is only a matter of time before we deal with you.

“Please come forward for Rhys’s family’s sake.”

Detectives are also appealing for those who have anonymously called the incident room and Crimestoppers hotlines with information to “be brave” and sign witness statements.

Teams of officers have remained in woods close to the murder scene, where a detailed search is being carried out.

The 46 specially-trained officers, belonging to Merseyside Police’s Matrix gun crime unit, were this morning joined by a team of police divers.

The area, Dam Wood, is densely packed with trees and has three large ponds.

Police say they plan to scour the whole area.

At 7.30pm tonight it will be exactly one week since the shooting and officers will be speaking to the public and stopping traffic outside the Fir Tree pub.

Detectives are hoping to trace people who were in the area last Wednesday but have yet to come forward.