Rhys police tell residents to trust them as hunt for killer continues

The event was organised by the Croxteth Park Residents Association to discuss concerns over policing, and a new community centre in memory of the 11-year-old who was murdered on August 22.

Merseyside Police held a question and answer session at the meeting at the meeting at Emmaus Primary School, near where Rhys was murdered.

Over 300 people attended the meeting, which lasted for more than two hours.

Police urged the community to come forward with any information about Rhys's death, and anti-social behaviour in general.

They said that a mobile police station will be set-up on Monday in an attempt to curb criminal behaviour.

The meeting also involved discussion of closing off certain roads to limit accessibility and reduce crime.

When asked about the progress of the search for Rhys's killer, Assistant Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: "In terms of the investigation into Rhys's killing, it is not appropriate for any one of us standing here today at a public forum to start talking in detail about that investigation.

"If someone is charged, and we're confident that they will be in the future, there is going to be a process and a trial, and we can't afford to corrupt that trial.

"We have to have confidence that in a case like this, it's our job to slowly and patiently build evidence so that when we do charge somebody, there's enough evidence to put them before a court and enable them to have a fair trial."

He went on: "We've got some of our top experts and specialists working on this particular case and it's something that I know the Chief Constable takes a weekly and sometimes daily interest in to see how far the investigation has gone.

"But it is complex and we've got to get it right, so as soon as there is a breakthrough you will know about it, but you have to trust us on this one."

The meeting, which lasted over two hours, was also attended by Bob Wareing, MP for West Derby.

He gave his support for a new community centre in Rhys's name: "I think there should be a permanent memorial and it should be something that our children and our future children will be able to use for years.

"Hopefully it will lead to a much calmer and easier time for our children and grandchildren.

"There should always be a memorial for Rhys Jones so that people can remember the trials that this generation went through."

Merseyside Police have so far made a number of arrests since the shooting, but no-one has been charged.