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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Rhys Jones killer's mother jailed | Rhys Jones killer's mother jailed |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The mother of Rhys Jones's killer has been jailed for three years for lying to detectives investigating the schoolboy's murder in Liverpool. | |
| The judge told Janette Mercer, 49, she knew her son had told "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 on 22 August 2007. Outside court Rhys's parents said what Ms Mercer did to prolong their agony is "unforgivable". | |
| Stephen and Melanie Jones said they felt they had "finally got justice" for their son. | |
| Mrs Mercer had earlier admitted perverting the course of justice. | |
| 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. |
| Rhys's parents added: "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. | |
| Stephen Jones's statement following Janette Mercer's sentencing | |
| "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." | |
| 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 Henry Globe QC 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 | In our eyes Mrs Mercer and Mr and Mrs Yates have always been as guilty as their sons Stephen and Melanie Jones |
| To Mercer he said: 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." | |
| 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. | 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." | |