A 20-year-old man has been remanded in custody, charged with dumping the gun that killed schoolboy Rhys Jones.

Rhys, 11, was shot deadJames Yates, of Croxteth, appeared before Liverpool City Magistrates Court as the seventh person to be charged in connection with the schoolboy's death.

He was remanded in custoday until April 25.

Six people, including the alleged murderer, have appeared at the same court accused of a variety of offences.

Rhys, 11, died on August 22 last year as he walked home in Croxteth Park from football training.

The youngster, still wearing his Everton kit, was blasted through the neck by a hooded gunman on a mountain bike.


Rhys's mother Melanie Jones, 42, wept in court as she came face-to-face with the 17-year-old boy accused of murdering her son.

She held a white handkerchief to her face and was comforted by husband Stephen, 45, as the couple saw the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, brought into the dock.

As the murder charge was read Mrs Jones, who cradled dying Rhys in her arms last August, looked at the teenager and dabbed her eyes.

The boy, dressed in a black hooded tracksuit and with short brown hair, was flanked by two security guards in the dock.

He appeared with three other teenagers - all were remanded to April 25 at Liverpool youth court.

One 16-year-old boy, charged with assisting an offender, was accused of providing the alleged killer with a false alibi and hiding the murder weapon.

He was also charged with being in possession of a Smith and Wesson .55 revolver, ammunition and a replica 8mm pistol.

Another 16-year-old boy, charged with assisting an offender, was accused of disposing of the murder weapon, clothing and a bicycle used in the killing.

A 17-year-old boy charged with assisting an offender, was said to have helped dispose of the murder weapon and clothing.

Melvin Coy, 24, of Abbeyfield Drive, and Gary Kays, 25, of Mallard Close, both West Derby, Liverpool, were remanded to next Friday charged with assisting an offender.

Thank goodness they have finally got them.

So awful for everyone involved!!!

Such a needless and tragic waste.