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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Rhys Jones killer's mother jailed | Rhys Jones killer's mother jailed |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The mother of Rhys Jones's killer has been jailed for three years for lying to detectives investigating the schoolboy's murder. | The mother of Rhys Jones's killer has been jailed for three years for lying to detectives investigating the schoolboy's murder. |
| The judge told Janette Mercer, 49, who admitted perverting the course of justice, that she knew her son had told police "a pack of lies". | The judge told Janette Mercer, 49, who admitted perverting the course of justice, that she knew her son had told police "a pack of lies". |
| She backed her son, Sean, 18, when he denied owning a silver bike caught on CCTV being used by the gunman. | She backed her son, Sean, 18, when he denied owning 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. |
| Judge Henry Globe QC told Mercer: "Your son was a key suspect in the murder and you knew he had told a pack of lies. | Judge Henry Globe QC told Mercer: "Your son was a key suspect in the murder and you knew he had told a pack of lies. |
| "You backed him up and you told more lies." | "You backed him up and you told more lies." |
| Mr and Mrs Yates were sentenced alongside Janette Mercer | Mr and Mrs Yates were sentenced alongside Janette Mercer |
| Francis and Marie Yates, the parents of Sean Mercer's co-accused James Yates, were also sentenced on Wednesday. | Francis and Marie Yates, the parents of Sean Mercer's co-accused James Yates, were also sentenced on Wednesday. |
| Marie Yates, 51, hindered the murder investigation by destroying a mobile phone Sim card belonging to her son which denied police vital evidence. | Marie Yates, 51, hindered the murder investigation by destroying a mobile phone Sim card belonging to her son which denied police vital evidence. |
| Francis Yates, 49, was with his wife when the Sim was set on fire and also suggested a false alibi to help Mercer cover his tracks. | Francis Yates, 49, was with his wife when the Sim was set on fire and also suggested a false alibi to help Mercer cover his tracks. |
| The couple, from Dodman Road, Croxteth, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and were sentenced to 18 months for destroying the Sim card. | The couple, from Dodman Road, Croxteth, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and were sentenced to 18 months for destroying the Sim card. |
| Francis Yates was jailed for three years, to be served consecutively, for helping Mercer with a false alibi. | Francis Yates was jailed for three years, to be served consecutively, for helping Mercer with a false alibi. |
| Judge Globe said the shooting of Rhys Jones was the result of "mindless" gang warfare" and had "saddened the lives of all decent people". | |
| In our eyes Mrs Mercer and Mr and Mrs Yates have always been as guilty as their sons Stephen and Melanie Jones | |
| Addressing Mr and Mrs Yates and Mercer, he said: "The complexity of the police investigation was such that nobody was able to be charged with any offence for many months. | |
| "You wasted valuable police time and undermined the prospect of justice. | |
| "While all that was ongoing, the family and friends of Rhys Jones continued to grieve without knowing who was responsible and who would be brought to justice for the terrible crime that had been committed." | |
| Speaking outside court after the hearing, Rhys's parents Stephen and Melanie said they felt they had "finally got justice" for their son. | |
| "In our eyes Mrs Mercer and Mr and Mrs Yates have always been as guilty as their sons. As adults they should have known right from wrong. | |
| "To intentionally cover up Rhys's murder and to protect a murderer and his accomplices and prolong our agony is unforgivable. | |
| "As parents themselves they should have understood our pain but instead they chose to ignore it." |