Rhys witness says he saw hooded gunman

A young boy told the Rhys Jones murder trial in Liverpool today that he saw a hooded gunman in the seconds before and after the 11-year-old was shot.

The 14-year-old, who cannot be identified, was sitting with a friend in a tree behind the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth, Liverpool, where Rhys was killed.

In a taped police interview played to the jury, the young witness said: “I saw a lad aged about 13 or 14 riding past really fast on a black BMX bike. He had a black tracksuit on and a black hoodie on.

“He went around the side of the pub and about three seconds after we lost sight of him we heard the shots.

“A few seconds after that, he came back riding very quickly.

“He was trying to put something in his pocket and wobbled his bike and went on to the grass.

“My friend jumped off the tree and everybody was shouting to go in the pub.”

Rhys was killed on August 22 last year as he crossed the front car park of the pub on his way home from football training.

Sean Mercer, 18, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, denies murder.

The prosecution says Mercer blasted three shots across the car park after targeting members of a rival gang who had strayed on to his turf.

The second bullet, the jury has been told, struck Rhys in the neck and the youngster died in his mother Melanie’s arms a short time later.

James Yates, 20, of Dodman Road, Croxteth, Gary Kays, 25, of Mallard Close, and Melvin Coy, 24, of Abbeyfield Drive, both West Derby, Liverpool, are accused of assisting an offender alongside two boys aged 16 and 17, who cannot be identified.

A second 17-year-old boy has been charged with assisting an offender and possessing a firearm and ammunition.

All deny the charges.

The youngster said he knew Rhys as they played in the same junior football league and often spoke after their teams played each other.

He told the interviewing officer he had watched Rhys at football practice shortly before the shooting.

He described in detail the “shiny” black tracksuit and trainers the gunman was wearing as well as the woollen hoodie which came out from under the jacket.

He also described the sound of the three gunshots as “high-pitched” and said he initially thought it was a cap gun.

The boy ran with his friend to the front of the pub where Rhys was on the ground.

He said: “I could see Rhys on the floor and everybody was saying ’Don’t look, don’t look’.

“He was on the floor and his head was on the kerb.

“All the people were screaming ’He’s been shot’.