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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Rhys killer's mother admits lying | Rhys killer's mother admits lying |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The mother of Rhys Jones's killer has admitted lying to police during the schoolboy's murder investigation. | 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. | 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. | Judge Henry Globe said: "She is completely guilty of a serious offence. |
| "I cannot envisage passing anything other than an immediate custodial sentence." | "I cannot envisage passing anything other than an immediate custodial sentence." |
| Rhys' parents Stephen and Melanie were present in court. | |
| Admitted lies | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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.Mercer was found guilty of murder after a nine-week trial | |
| Mrs Mercer was charged after she admitted being in a police interview with her son three days after Rhys died, when he lied that he did not own a bike which which matched the description of the killer's bike. | |
| She was later involved in the negotiations with an insurance company to replace her son's bike in March 2007 and did not tell police. | |
| She also admitted lying to police in a statement she made in September 2007 when she claimed her son only owned one bike and had no idea how long he owned it for. | |
| During the nine-week murder trial the bike used by Mercer, and CCTV footage of it, became key to the prosecution case. | |
| The parents of James Yates, one of Mercer's 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. | 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. | He was sentenced to seven years in prison. |