This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/merseyside/7892457.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Rhys killer's mother admits lying | Rhys killer's mother admits lying |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The mother of Rhys Jones's killer has admitted lying to police during the schoolboy's murder investigation. | |
| Janette Mercer, 49, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice at Liverpool Crown Court. | Janette Mercer, 49, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice at Liverpool Crown Court. |
| Her son, Sean Mercer, 18, was jailed for life in December for the 11-year-old's murder. | Her son, Sean Mercer, 18, was jailed for life in December for the 11-year-old's murder. |
| Mrs Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, had previously denied lying about what happened to her son's mountain bike after Rhys was shot dead. | Mrs Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, had previously denied lying about what happened to her son's mountain bike after Rhys was shot dead. |
| Mrs Mercer was bailed until 1 April at the short hearing, however the judge warned her she faced jail. | |
| Judge Henry Globe said: "She is completely guilty of a serious offence. | |
| "I cannot envisage passing anything other than an immediate custodial sentence." | |
| Mercer was found guilty of murder after a nine-week trial | |
| Mrs Mercer had formally denied the charge when she appeared at court the day before her son went on trial for Rhys' murder last year. | |
| Mercer shot the schoolboy in the car park of the Fir Tree pub, Croxteth, Liverpool before fleeing on his bike. | |
| Rhys died in the arms of his his mother, Melanie, on 22 August 2007. | |
| Merseyside Police gathered evidence against Mercer and six fellow gang members who helped him dispose of his clothing, bike and the murder weapon. | |
| Three others including the parents of James Yates, one of Mercer' accomplices, were charged alongside Mrs Mercer. | |
| Francis and Marie Yates, of Croxteth, are also accused of perverting the course of justice and will stand trial in April. | |
| Their son, James Yates, 20, of Dodman Road, Croxteth was convicted of supplying Mercer with the gun used to kill Rhys. | |
| He was sentenced to seven years in prison. |