Rhys gang member's term 'disgrace'

Stephen and Melanie Jones maintained a dignified, respectful silence in Liverpool Crown Court but outside they condemned a seven-year term given to Croxteth Crew gang member James Yates for possession of a gun.

They said: "We are disgusted at the seven-year sentence given to Sean Mercer's accomplice, James Yates. In our minds he is the one who provided the gun that killed our son and he deserved a longer sentence. We feel seven years is a disgrace."

Yates, 21 on Friday, Nathan Quinn, 18, and Dean Kelly, 17, yelled with delight after being sentenced for helping 18-year-old murderer Sean Mercer evade justice.

Rhys, 11, was murdered by Mercer in Croxteth, Liverpool, in August 2007. Last month Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, was jailed for a minimum 22-year-term.

The trio left the bullet-proof dock after winking and smiling at family and friends at Liverpool Crown Court. Seconds later they were heard celebrating loudly and a security guard was also heard telling them to be quiet.

After time on remand is taken in to account, the Croxteth Crew members' actual time served will be five years but the full sentences totalled 13 years.

Yates, who supplied Mercer with the 1915 Smith and Wesson used to gun down the innocent schoolboy, was given a seven-year sentence. He was also convicted of assisting Mercer dump the gun and the killer's clothing for which he will serve two concurrent six-year terms. Yates, of Dodman Road, Croxteth, will serve half his sentence - like his co-accused - and have 286 days on remand, knocked off. He will be out at the start of 2012.

After Mercer killed Rhys on the car park of the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth, Yates was at the centre of a plan to avoid justice. He rushed to Mercer's aid as they converged at the home of Boy M - who cannot be named - with Nathan Quinn.

Boy M, 16, who has attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and was previously beaten up by his gang mates for "grassing", was given a two-year supervision order with a four month 7pm to 7am curfew for assisting an offender.