The parents of the man who supplied the gun that killed schoolboy Rhys Jones have pleaded guilty to lying to police investigating the murder.
The mother of Rhys Jones's killer has been jailed for three years for lying to detectives investigating the schoolboy's murder.
Frank Yates, 49, and wife Marie, 51, admitted perverting the course of justice at Liverpool Crown Court.
Janette Mercer, 49, admitted perverting the course of justice at Liverpool Crown Court in February.
They destroyed a mobile phone chip belonging to their son James, the court heard. Mr Yates also admitted giving killer Sean Mercer a false alibi.
She backed her son, Sean Mercer, 18, when he told police he did not own a silver bike caught on CCTV being used by the gunman.
Rhys, 11, was shot in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, in August 2007.
Rhys, 11, was shot in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, in August 2007.
Frank and Marie Yates are due to be sentenced later alongside Mercer's mother, Janette.
Life term
The 49-year-old, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, Liverpool, admitted perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing.
Rhys died in his mother's arms after being shot in the car park of the Fir Tree pub on 22 August.
Mercer was jailed for life for his murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years.
Yates, 21, of Dodman Road, was found guilty of assisting an offender and possessing a banned firearm and was sentenced to seven years in jail in January.
His sentence has been referred to the Court of Appeal as being "unduly lenient" following a review by the Attorney General's office.
