Face to face across a courtroom, the parents of Rhys Jones and the boy accused of murdering him

Melanie and Stephen Jones sat just yards from the 17-year-old suspect, charged with Rhys's murder before a district judge.

He showed little emotion during the eight-minute hearing but Mrs Jones, 42, could not contain her tears as she finally came face to face with the youth accused of her son's murder.

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Wearing a locket with a photograph of her young son, she clung to her husband's arm and dabbed tears from her eyes with a handkerchief as the handcuffed teenager was led up from the cells.

Dressed in a grey, waterproof hooded top, with close cropped black hair, the youth was dwarfed by two burly security guards as he stood in the glass dock at Liverpool Youth Court.

He spoke in a thick Liverpudlian accent to give his name, address and date of birth.

David Maxwell, prosecuting, told the hearing that the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with murdering Rhys in the carpark of the Fir Tree pub, Croxteth, on August 22 last year.

Asked if he understood the charge, the youth replied "yes".

Both Mr and Mrs Jones wore purple ribbons - emblems of the "Liverpool Unite" campaign group fighting gun and street crime in Rhys's memory.

The couple, who were accompanied by police family liaison officers, held each other and listened intently to proceedings during the short hearing.

Mrs Jones, dressed in a smart white top and black waistcoat, betrayed no emotion as she looked at the mother of the alleged gunman.

They were back at Liverpool Magistrates' Court again today to see a 20-year-old accused of dumping the gun that killed Rhys and then burning the clothes of his alleged killer.

James Yates, from Croxteth, spoke only to confirm his name and address before he too was remanded in custody until next Friday.

At the back of the court, Mr and Mrs Jones sat only feet away from the defendant's parents.

On the six-month anniversary of her son's death, Mrs Jones appeared on the BBC's Crimewatch to make a direct appeal to the mother of the alleged killer to search her conscience and hand her son in.

"She (the killer's mother) must know it is him, or she must have some suspicion," she said.

"Even for his own safety, she should hand him in."

During an earlier appeal she also criticised his parents, saying: "I blame the parents most of all. There are no boundaries any more. There's no respect."

Rhys, 11, was shot as he walked home from football training across the pub carpark.

The schoolboy was an innocent victim, allegedly caught up in a turf war between rival gangs in the neighbouring districts of Croxteth and Norris Green.

Mrs Jones cradled her son in her arms, her trousers soaked in his blood, whispering 'stay with us, son' over and over again.

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But despite the efforts of paramedics he died in the carpark, still wearing his shin pads and football kit.

The 17-year-old accused, from Croxteth, was one of four youths who appeared in court yesterday in connection with Rhys's death.

There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody until his next appearance a week tomorrow.

A boy of 16, also of Croxteth, is accused of assisting an offender by providing an alibi and hiding a weapon used by the alleged killer. His mother wept as the charges were read out.

Another 16-year-old, of Norris Green, is charged with assisting the 17-year-old by disposing of his clothing, the pedal cycle and a gun allegedly used to shoot Rhys.

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His mother sat in court with one of the purple "Unite" anti-gun ribbons pinned on her coat.

Her boy was remanded to secure local authority accommodation after members of Merseyside's youth offending team said he was "vulnerable" and should not be sent to a young offenders' institute.

A final teenager of 17, from Croxteth, who is charged with assisting an offender, is also said to have helped dispose of the murder weapon and clothing.

In a separate hearing, Melvin Coy, 24, and Gary Kays, 25, both of West Derby, Liverpool, appeared charged with assisting an offender by the disposal of evidence.

There were no applications for bail and no pleas were entered.

Yesterday's hearing saw unprecedented security at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.

Dozens of armed police, some with dogs, were stationed outside and anyone entering the courtroom was thoroughly searched.