The shooting of an 11 year old boy on his way home from football practice was a crime which shocked not only Liverpool but the whole country, said Merseyside Crown Prosecution Service reviewing lawyer Helen Morris.
Young Rhys Jones was still in his football strip when on August 22, 2007 he was shot by Sean Mercer, then 16, who was today found guilty of his murder. Six other people have also been found guilty of charges in connection with the shooting.
Mrs Morris said: "Rhys Jones was an innocent victim of a long running feud between two local gangs. His death shocked and saddened everyone who heard about it.
"Particularly disturbing is the youth of some of the defendants. Sean Mercer, who is now 18, was just 16 when he fired that gun. Some of the defendants who helped dispose of the gun, his clothing and his bicycle, were just 15 and 16.
"But this case is not just about teenage gang members who are young and trigger happy. Two of the young men who helped Sean Mercer on that night, Melvin Coy and Gary Kays, were 24 years of age. They have all contributed to the unimaginable suffering endured by Rhys’ family."
Mrs Morris said that although Rhys was not the intended victim, Sean Mercer fired the shot which killed him and so was guilty of his murder.
The shooting was caught on CCTV. The jury was shown this CCTV footage and there was a wealth of other evidence as well, such as data from mobile phones, the recovery of the gun, and covert recordings of conversations about the murder involving some of the defendants and their families.
She said: "We also had the evidence of the man who had found Sean Mercer’s bike abandoned within hours of the shooting. Detailed investigations by Merseyside police traced the history of this bike from its source to its delivery to Sean Mercer. DNA was recovered from the bike, revealing a possible link to Sean Mercer.
"We would like to thank all the witnesses who gave evidence during the trial and reassure the people of Merseyside that they can feel confident that crimes such as this will be prosecuted and that measures can be put in place to ensure that witnesses who come forward can be protected and helped to feel secure and comfortable when giving evidence.
"The parents of Rhys Jones have waited more than 15 months for this moment and have shown enormous patience and trust in the criminal justice system throughout. They have sat through the evidence and displayed great dignity and fortitude. We hope they take some comfort from today’s verdicts. Our thoughts are with them."
