Rhys shooting footage shown

Seconds before the three-second clip was shown, the schoolboy's mother, Melanie, 42, fled the court in tears as the prosecution began to outline her son's final moments.

The CCTV clip showed Rhys crossing the car park of the Fir Tree public house, in Croxteth, Liverpool, and become distracted by the sound of a bullet striking a container nearby.

The court watched as the CCTV footage showed Rhys turn to look in the direction of the container and as he did so he was struck by what the prosecution say was the second bullet fired by the gunman.

The images showed Rhys, 11, fall to the ground where he later died in his mother's arms.

Mrs Jones had heard prosecutor Neil Flewitt QC describe how her innocent son had died when he strayed into a feud between rival gangs. He was hit by a bullet fired by teenager Sean Mercer and died a few hundred yards from his home, it was alleged.

Mercer, 18, who denies the 11-year-old's murder, immediately tried to cover his tracks and was helped by six fellow gang members, including three other teenagers, the court heard.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr Flewitt told the Liverpool Crown Court jury: "Immediately after he killed Rhys Jones, Sean Mercer set about distancing himself from the tragic events at the Fir Tree public house. He moved quickly to dispose of his clothing, his pedal cycle and the gun that he had used to such devastating effect."

The shooting was the result of "fierce and frequently violent rivalry" between young gang members from Croxteth's Crocky Crew and nearby Norris Green's Strand Gang, also known as the Nogga Dogs.

The prosecution alleges that Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, was helped to avoid justice by six other members of the Crocky Crew. James Yates, 20, Melvin Coy, 25, and Gary Kays, 25, as well as two 17-year-old boys and a 16-year old boy, who are too young to be named, all deny assisting an offender.