THE detective who led the successful hunt for Rhys Jones’s killer has left the police in a row over his rank.

Det Supt Dave Kelly was said to be furious after being told he would be stripped of his title – which the force said was on an acting basis.

He led the team of officers who worked to bring murderer Sean Mercer and his gang to justice.

The ECHO has learnt that, despite working under immense pressure in the national spotlight, Mr Kelly was called to meet Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan last month.

During the meeting, he claims he was told he was to have his rank downgraded, sending him back to being a Detective Chief Inspector.

Having just completed his 30 years’ service, Mr Kelly was eligible to retire at any time.

He planned to stay on, with the murders of Liverpool prostitute Anne-Marie Foy and shot Fazakerley dad-of-one Stephen Lloyd still unsolved.

But the perceived demotion, seen by others in the force as “a slap in the face”, changed that and using up his remaining holiday, the Everton- born detective worked only a few days more after the meeting.

A police insider said: “After working day-in day-out on the biggest case this force has had to deal with in a long time, to be called in and told you’re getting bumped down a rank is a massive slap in the face.