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| Student wins Rhys libel damages | Student wins Rhys libel damages |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| A newspaper has paid "substantial" damages to a student after it alleged she had called Rhys Jones's killer a hero during a TV interview. | A newspaper has paid "substantial" damages to a student after it alleged she had called Rhys Jones's killer a hero during a TV interview. |
| Kelly Marshall, 18, from Liverpool, launched a libel claim after the Daily Star also wrongly accused her of being a member of the Croxteth Crew gang. | Kelly Marshall, 18, from Liverpool, launched a libel claim after the Daily Star also wrongly accused her of being a member of the Croxteth Crew gang. |
| Her solicitor said the money would go to the Rhys Jones Memorial Trust. | Her solicitor said the money would go to the Rhys Jones Memorial Trust. |
| Mercer was jailed for life for shooting Rhys in August 2007 as the 11-year-old walked home from football practice. | Mercer was jailed for life for shooting Rhys in August 2007 as the 11-year-old walked home from football practice. |
| The 18-year-old was sentenced on 16 December, and two days later, the Daily Star published a front page story claiming Miss Marshall was Mercer's girlfriend and she had hailed him a hero. | |
| The paper, owned by Express Newspapers, also alleged she had declared a pledge of loyalty to the Croxteth Crew gang, of which Mercer was a leading member. | The paper, owned by Express Newspapers, also alleged she had declared a pledge of loyalty to the Croxteth Crew gang, of which Mercer was a leading member. |
| 'Appalling murder' | 'Appalling murder' |
| Miss Marshall's solicitor, Helen Morris, told the High Court in London that the student had been "very distressed" by the article, which appeared in print and on the newspaper's website. | |
| "The truth is, contrary to the article, the claimant did not make any public statement following the conviction of Sean Mercer," she said. | "The truth is, contrary to the article, the claimant did not make any public statement following the conviction of Sean Mercer," she said. |
| Rhys Jones was shot dead in the car park of a Liverpool pub | Rhys Jones was shot dead in the car park of a Liverpool pub |
| "The claimant does not regard Mercer as a hero and would certainly never have made such a claim or sought publicity for it, in the aftermath of his conviction for such an appalling murder. | "The claimant does not regard Mercer as a hero and would certainly never have made such a claim or sought publicity for it, in the aftermath of his conviction for such an appalling murder. |
| "The claimant is not and has never been a member of the Croxteth crew or any other gang. She has also never been Sean Mercer's girlfriend." | "The claimant is not and has never been a member of the Croxteth crew or any other gang. She has also never been Sean Mercer's girlfriend." |
| The Express Newspapers' solicitor, Kate Wilson, said the company accepted the allegations were false and offered its "sincere apologies" to Miss Marshall. | |
| It will also publish a summary of the court statement in the Daily Star. | It will also publish a summary of the court statement in the Daily Star. |