Rhys Jones murder suspect bailed

Apr 16 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

Rhys Jones police investigation

It is believed the prime suspect was among those being held, after a series of dawn raids on 10 addresses in the Croxteth area.

It is the third time officers have arrested the 17-year-old, twice in connection with the murder and once on suspicion of carrying a gun.

Officers raided the homes early morning and arrested two youths and two men – aged 16, 17, 24 and 25 – on suspicion of murder.

Around 100 officers were involv-ed in the operation, which saw a police convoy of vehicles block off the streets surrounding each house in case any of the suspects tried to make a break for freedom.

Police chiefs gave the green light and then officers stormed inside the homes of their targets.

Forensic teams and scene of crime officers searched each of the homes yesterday and all of those arrested were being ques-tioned after being taken to separ-ate police stations on Merseyside.

Police have always said they were working towards building concrete cases against suspects.

Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe said: “A lot of painstaking work has gone into this investigation which continues. The public and Rhys’s parents, Melanie and Stephen, have been very supportive throughout and we are grateful for their ongoing confidence in the investigation.”

Also arrested were a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of assisting an offender, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing a gun and ammunition, a 49-year-old man, and a 15-year-old boy, both on suspicion of assisting an offender and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Three women, aged 50, 54 and 21, and a man, 22, were also arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. A 17-year-old boy was picked up on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Rhys was shot and killed walk-ing home from football practice. Having just finished training with his under-11s team he was walk-ing with friends across the car park of the Fir Tree pub, in Fir Tree Drive South, Croxteth Park, at around 7.35pm.

A teenage gunman riding a bike on the opposite side of the car park is thought to have opened fire three times, trying to hit a gang rival, but one of the bullets rico-cheted off a BMW in the middle of the gravel fore-court and hit Rhys.

Rhys – an Everton fan – was taken by ambulance to Alder Hey hospital where doctors worked in vain for 90 minutes to try to save him.