The mum of Rhys Jones' killer Sean Mercer has admitted helping another of her sons to evade justice.
Janette Mercer was jailed for three years back in 2009 for perverting the course of justice, having told lies to detectives investigating the 11-year-old schoolboy's murder. Sean Mercer, 16 at the time, shot and killed Rhys on August 22 2007.
The innocent youngster was tragically caught in the crossfire of a feud between the Croxteth Crew and the rival Norris Green-based Strand Gang by the Fir Tree pub as he walked home from football training. Mercer was later unanimously convicted of murder by a jury and jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.
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His mother tried to cover up a crucial piece of evidence by lying to police in a statement when they asked her about bicycles her son owned or had access to. He was riding a silver mountain bike when he fired the fatal shot, but Jeanette Mercer claimed he did not own such a bike - instead saying he had only a black, orange and white one.
But it was subsequently discovered that she taken delivery of the bike four months earlier when it was sent to the family following an insurance claim. On the day of her sentencing, she reportedly smiled at friends and family in the public gallery as she was led to the cells by security guards.
The now 63-year-old was brought back before Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, where she pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. The charge relates to another of her three sons, Joseph Mercer, who she is believed to have helped while he was being investigated over drug supply offences.
He was imprisoned for 30 months in October 2020 after being caught peddling heroin and crack cocaine from a hotel room in Bournemouth. The then 25-year-old, of Daisy Street in Kirkdale, was locked up alongside a 29-year-old from Childwall, after both admitted possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.
Dorset Police raided the room in January 2017 after receiving reports that a "suspicious white powder" had been seen inside, with a strong smell of cannabis also emanating from within. Peers - who was handed three years behind bars in March 2021 - had been staying in the room but had already packed up and left
His car was then found in the car park of another nearby hotel later the same day. When officers entered their room at this premises, he and Mercer were found inside with nearly 100 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine plus £1,000 in cash as well as several mobile phones and a set of scales.
Janette Mercer, also of Daisy Street, will be sentenced in February and was released on bail ahead of that date. She hid her face as she left court.
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