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Court sees pictures of gun that may have killed Rhys
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent28 Oct 2008
THE gun allegedly used to kill Liverpool schoolboy Rhys Jones was shown to a jury today.
Pictures were displayed at Liverpool crown court of a Smith and Wesson .455 revolver found in the loft of a house in the city one month after 11-year-old Rhys was killed on 22 August last year.
A second gun, an imitation Walther PPK self-loading pistol converted to fire bullets, and ammunition was also found at the address by Merseyside Police.
One of the officers who searched the house said in a statement read to the jury: "I noticed a red and white plastic bag in the far end of the wall and furthest away from the loft hatch.
"I pulled the bag back and noticed it contained something. I saw a black revolver and a black semi-automatic pistol." Sean Mercer, 18 of Croxteth, denies murder and denies being part of a gang called the Croxteth Crew.
The prosecution says Mercer cycled to the Fir Tree pub and fired three shots across the car park at alleged members of rivals the Strand Gang, based in the neighbouring Norris Green estate.
The jury has heard the second bullet struck Rhys as he went home from football practice. He bled to death in his mother Melanie's arms.
Alongside Mercer in the dock are James Yates, 20, and Nathan Quinn, 18, both of Croxteth, with Gary Kays, 25, and Melvin Coy, 24, both from West Derby, who deny assisting an offender. Two teenagers deny the same charge.
The trial continues.
