Man who armed schoolboy's killer to have sentence reviewed

A gang member who armed the killer of British schoolboy Rhys Jones will have his sentence reviewed today to determine if it is “unduly lenient”.

The seven-year term handed down to James Yates at Liverpool Crown Court has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, Vera Baird QC.

A hearing will take place today before the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and two other judges in London.

If the judges agree that the sentence is unduly lenient they have the power to increase it.

Croxteth Crew gang member Yates, now 21, was given a total of seven years’ detention for possession of a prohibited firearm and assisting an offender.

Rhys’s parents, Stephen and Melanie Jones, later described the sentence, passed on January 29, as a “disgrace”.

As well as the firearm charge Yates was convicted of assisting murderer Sean Mercer, 18, by helping dump the gun and his clothing.

If his sentence is not increased Yates, of Dodman Road, Croxteth, will serve just two years and nine months after time on remand is deducted.

Mr and Mrs Jones, whose 11-year-old son was shot dead in August 2007 in a Liverpool pub car park, issued a statement following sentencing condemning the term handed to Yates.

They said: “We are disgusted at the seven-year sentence given to Sean Mercer’s accomplice, James Yates. In our minds he is the one who provided the gun that killed our son and he deserved a longer sentence. We feel seven years is a disgrace.”.

Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years before he can apply for parole, after being convicted of murder by a Liverpool Crown Court jury in December.

Innocent schoolboy Rhys was gunned down as he made his way home from football training.

Mercer blasted three bullets across a pub car park after targeting rivals who had strayed on to his turf. Rhys was caught in the line of fire and shot in the neck.

He died in his mother’s arms a short time later.