THE trial jury heard that Mercer was a leading member of the Croxteth Crew gang, which terrorised the local community and was involved in a long-running and bloody feud with the Strand Gang, based on the neighbouring Norris Green estate.

Mercer had an “intense hatred” of Strand Gang member Wayne Brady.

When told by Coy and Kays that Brady, 19, and two rivals had been seen cycling near the Fir Tree Pub on Croxteth Crew territory, Mercer set about the murder.

Dressed in a black hoodie and tracksuit, Mercer got hold of Yates’s Smith & Wesson .455 revolver and cycled to the pub where he took up a position on a grass verge alongside the pub’s car park.

Standing astride the bicycle with his arms outstretched in front of him, he clasped the gun with both hands and fired three shots at Brady’s friends, moving his arms in an arc to follow their movements on their bicycles.

Rhys, distracted by the sound of the first bullet, which struck a shipping container in the car park, turned toward the gunman and was struck in the neck by the second bullet.

Mercer then adjusted his position to aim one final shot at his two rivals.

The third bullet struck a disused well as the gunman and his targets fled the scene.

After the shooting, Mercer cycled to the home of Boy M, where he called on his fellow gang members to help him avoid the law.

With Yates, Quinn and Kays, he was driven by Coy to a lock-up garage on an industrial estate where his clothes were burned and his body washed down with petrol.

Mercer gave the murder weapon to 17-year-old Boy C, who was frightened of him and who hid it in a dog kennel. It was later moved, along with a second gun and ammunition, by Kelly to the loft of Boy C’s house where police found it later.