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Rhys accused 'admitted shooting' Rhys accused 'admitted shooting'
(about 2 hours later)
A teenager accused of murdering Rhys Jones admitted shooting "a kid" shortly after the killing, a court has heard. A teenager accused of murdering Rhys Jones admitted shooting someone shortly after the killing, a court has heard.
The 11-year-old was shot in the car park of the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, on 22 August 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, 18, arrived at a friend's house and said "he had just shot someone", the jury was told.Minutes later Sean Mercer, 18, arrived at a friend's house and said "he had just shot someone", the jury was told.
Liverpool Crown Court heard his real target was rival gang member Wayne Brady. Mr Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, denies murder. Liverpool Crown Court heard his real target was Wayne Brady, a member of a rival gang. Mr Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, denies murder.
The prosecution claims that Mr Mercer, a Crocky Crew gang member, was firing at members of rival gang the Strand Gang, also known as the Nogga Dogz, when Rhys was killed. The prosecution claims that Mr Mercer, a Croxteth Crew gang member, was firing at members of rival gang the Strand Gang, also known as the Nogga Dogz, when Rhys was killed.
'Heard shots'
There was "over-arching personal animosity" between Mr Mercer and his alleged target, 20-year-old Mr Brady, a member of the Nogga Dogz, the court heard.There was "over-arching personal animosity" between Mr Mercer and his alleged target, 20-year-old Mr Brady, a member of the Nogga Dogz, 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. Three shots
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." Mr Brady was with a friend and a cousin close to the Fir Tree pub at the time of the shooting.
Under cross-examination by Mr Mercer's barrister, Richard Pratt QC, Mr Brady said he used to be friends with his client. It is claimed Mr Mercer fired three shots in their direction, and one of them hit Rhys as he walked home from football practice.
Eighteen-year-old Sean Mercer denies murdering Rhys Jones Mr Brady told the court: "I heard gun shots, three, it sounded like three.
"We had a little argument years back," he said. I got off straight away, I just went the opposite way from where it sounded like they were coming from."
He told the court he could not remember what it was about. Sean Mercer allegedly doused himself in petrol to remove gunshot residue
He added that their conversations "would be friendly". The jury was told that when Mr Mercer declined to answer questions when he was later arrested and subsequently rearrested,
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. A 16-year-old defendant, Boy M, told detectives Mr Mercer arrived at his house and admitted the killing, before Mr Mercer's bicycle was collected by another defendant.
Boy K, who cannot be named, denies assisting an offender, two counts of possessing a gun and a charge of possessing ammunition. 'Bike link'
'Admitted killing' Neil Flewitt QC, for the prosecution, 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 Mercer declined to answer any questions on that occasion, or when he was re-arrested in April, Neil Flewitt QC, for the prosecution, told the jury. A series of calls between all those accused were allegedly made and Mr Mercer, Melvin Coy, 25, Gary Kays, 25, Boy Q, 17, and James Yates, 20, then drove to Mr Coy's lock-up in nearby Kirkby.
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. It is claimed Mr Mercer was then washed with petrol to remove gunshot residue.
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. His bike, the court heard, was dumped later that night.
"Sean Mercer rang James Yates and asked him to come round and he then rang [co-defendant] Gary Kays." The bike allegedly used by the gunman has been linked to Sean Mercer
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. The court was told the bike was found by abandoned by a passer-by the day after the murder.
Earlier, the court heard that the bicycle used by the gunman to flee the scene was linked directly to Mr Mercer. But it was not until six months later, when the man who had found it and taken it home realised its significance, that it was handed into police.
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 prosecution said the serial number on the bike matched one handed to Mr Mercer by an insurance company after his own had been stolen.
The sixth accused person, another 17-year-old youth, also denies possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition. His DNA was also found on the bike, the court heard.
The trial continues. Mr Flewitt said: "Those facts, we suggest, provide compelling evidence that Sean Mercer was the person who shot Rhys Jones."
James Yates, 20, of Dodman Road, Croxteth; Mr Kays, of Mallard Close, and Mr Coy, of Abbeyfield Drive, both West Derby, Liverpool, are accused of assisting an offender.
Two youths aged 16 and 17, who can only be identified as Boy M and Boy Q, also deny assisting an offender.
A sixth person, a 17-year-old known as Boy K, denies assisting an offender and possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition.
The trial continues on Monday.