ALL eyes turned on alleged killer Sean Mercer as he took his place in the court.

The slight teenager glanced furtively round the room as he stepped into the secure dock at Liverpool’s court 3.2.

Wearing black trousers and shirt, the 18-year-old entered last – following his six co-accused into the glass- fronted dock – before smiling briefly at his parents.

Dressed all in black, they sat just metres away in the front row of one of two public galleries.

On the opposite side of the room, the other public area was packed full of relatives of Rhys Jones – all adorned with purple Liverpool Unites ribbons.

Accompanied by two police liaison officers, who have supported them throughout the investigation, Rhys’s parents sat in a dignified and calm manner. They have attended every preliminary hearing and have faced their son’s alleged killer on many numerous occasions.

But, as jurors were told the full list of charges faced by the seven defendants, Melanie, 42, fixed her gaze on dark-haired Mercer.

Glaring across the crowded room, she watched him for long minutes as the clerk read out all the offences against the alleged gang members – her eyes only leaving him when Neil Flewitt, QC, began to open the case.

As he progressed through the case, Stephen Jones, 45, wearing a grey suit with a purple ribbon and open- necked white striped shirt, and his wife carefully studied a file of evidence.

But the strain began to show as Mr Flewitt told the jury of Rhys’s excitement at joining secondary school and his love of football.

Mrs Jones – wearing a symbolic purple dress and shrug cardigan – began to dab away tears.

She stared intently at her lap as large television screens showed her son’s final moments as he walked across the pub car park on his way home.