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Rhys accused 'admitted shooting' Rhys accused 'admitted shooting'
(about 1 hour later)
A teenager accused of murdering Rhys Jones admitted shooting "a kid" shortly after the killing, a court heard.A teenager accused of murdering Rhys Jones admitted shooting "a kid" shortly after the killing, a court heard.
The 11-year-old was shot in the car park of the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, on August 22 2007. The 11-year-old was shot in the car park of the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, on 22 August 2007.
Minutes later Sean Mercer arrived at a friend's house and said "he had just shot someone", the jury heard. Minutes later Sean Mercer, 18, arrived at a friend's house and said "he had just shot someone", the jury heard.
Liverpool Crown Court also heard that a bike owned by Mr Mercer matched the one used by the gunman, Mr Mercer, 18, of Good Shepherd Close, denies murder. Liverpool Crown Court was told his real target was rival gang member Wayne Brady. Mr Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, denies murder.
The court previously heard from the prosecution that Mr Mercer was firing at members of rival gang the Nogga Dogz when Rhys was killed. The prosecution claims that Mr Mercer was firing at members of rival gang the Strand Gang, also known as the Nogga Dogz, when Rhys was killed.
On Friday, the jury heard that when Mr Mercer was arrested on 25 August he said he was with a friend - known as Boy K - at the time of the shooting. 'Heard shots'
There was "over-arching personal animosity" between Mr Mercer and his alleged target, 20-year-old Mr Brady, the court heard.
Mr Brady was with a friend too young to be named and his cousin Kevin Davies, 19, close to the Fir Tree pub at the time of the shooting.
He told the court: "I heard gun shots, three, it sounded like three. I got off straight away, I just went the opposite way from where it sounded like they were coming from."
The jury was told that when Mr Mercer was arrested on 25 August he said he was with a friend - known as Boy K - at the time of the shooting.
Boy K, who cannot be named, denies assisting an offender, two counts of possessing a gun and a charge of possessing ammunition.Boy K, who cannot be named, denies assisting an offender, two counts of possessing a gun and a charge of possessing ammunition.
Those facts, we suggest, provide compelling evidence that Sean Mercer was the person who shot Rhys Jones Neil Flewitt QC, prosecuting
Mr Mercer declined to answer any questions on that occasion, or when he was re-arrested in April, Mr Flewitt told the jury.Mr Mercer declined to answer any questions on that occasion, or when he was re-arrested in April, Mr Flewitt told the jury.
Accused's DNA match to bike
But a 16-year-old defendant, Boy M, told detectives that Mr Mercer arrived at his house and admitted the killing, before his bike was collected by another defendant.But a 16-year-old defendant, Boy M, told detectives that Mr Mercer arrived at his house and admitted the killing, before his bike was collected by another defendant.
Mr Flewitt said Boy M "told the police that his grandmother answered the door to Sean Mercer who said that he had just shot someone and that a kid had gone down.Mr Flewitt said Boy M "told the police that his grandmother answered the door to Sean Mercer who said that he had just shot someone and that a kid had gone down.
"Sean Mercer rang James Yates and asked him to come round and he then rang Gary Kays." "Sean Mercer rang James Yates and asked him to come round and he then rang [co-defendant] Gary Kays."
Boy M, charged with three counts of assisting an offender, "accepts most of what is alleged against him" but claims he is not guilty of the offences because he was "acting under duress", Mr Flewitt said.Boy M, charged with three counts of assisting an offender, "accepts most of what is alleged against him" but claims he is not guilty of the offences because he was "acting under duress", Mr Flewitt said.
"That is, he was not exercising free will but was acting out of fear of Sean Mercer who had demanded his assistance in avoiding detection," said the QC. Earlier, the court heard that the bicycle used by the gunman to flee the scene was linked directly to Mr Mercer.
DNA match James Yates, 20, of Dodman Road, Croxteth; Mr Kays, 25, of Mallard Close, and Mr Coy, 24, of Abbeyfield Drive, both West Derby, Liverpool, are accused of assisting an offender, along with two youths aged 16 and 17, who cannot be identified.
The bicycle used by the gunman to flee the scene was linked directly to Mr Mercer, Mr Flewitt told the jury. The sixth accused person, another 17-year-old youth, also denies possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition.
Mr Mercer got the satin silver Specialized Hardrock mountain bike in April 2007 after his previous bike was stolen.
Images of the bike were released to the media, which led to Liverpool resident Leslie Shimmin realising he had found the frame near an industrial unit in Kirkby used by the co-accused Melvin Coy, 25.
Mr Flewitt said: "It will, perhaps, come as no surprise to you to learn that the serial number of the silver Specialized Hardrock mountain bike found by Mr Shimmin in Kirkby is the same as the serial number of the Specialized Hardrock mountain bike supplied to Sean Mercer in April 2007."
He added that DNA swabs taken from Mr Mercer also matched DNA on the bicycle, which had been hidden under a bush less than 250 yards from the unit.
Gun tests
Mr Flewitt said that Mr Mercer and several of his co-accused allegedly visited the site hours after Rhys's murder.
"Those facts, we suggest, provide compelling evidence that Sean Mercer was the person who shot Rhys Jones," he added.
Earlier, the court heard that the bullet which killed Rhys produced a "keyhole effect" on his body which was replicated by forensic tests on a .455 Smith and Wesson recovered by police.
Mr Flewitt told the jury this seemed to be caused because the bullet was undersized by 0.08mm and the rifling of the revolver was worn.
James Yates, 20, of Dodman Road, Croxteth; Gary Kays, 25, of Mallard Close, and Mr Coy, 24, of Abbeyfield Drive, both West Derby, Liverpool, are accused of assisting an offender, along with two boys aged 16 and 17, who cannot be identified.
The sixth accused person, another 17-year-old boy, also denies possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition.
The trial continues.The trial continues.