Gun that killed Rhys Jones hidden in loft

LONDON (Reuters) - A teenager told a court on Thursday how the gun used to kill 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool was hidden from police in the loft of his home.

The youth, who cannot be identified, was giving evidence in the trial of alleged gang member Sean Mercer, 18, who is accused of shooting Rhys dead in August 2007, the Press Association reported.

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court was shown police interview recordings with the 17-year-old witness, who has been given immunity from prosecution in exchange for his evidence.

On Wednesday, he said he was given the pistol by Mercer just 20 minutes after the shooting at the Fir Tree Pub in Croxteth, Liverpool.

He said he took the gun, which was wrapped up in a red and white carrier, and hid it under blankets in the dog kennel at his Croxteth home.

On Thursday, the witness said five days after the killing Boy K, who is also on trial accused of assisting an offender, came to his house and asked for the gun.

The witness said: "(K) came to my house when he knew my mum would be out. He said 'I've come to move that'.

"I said, 'go on then move it. I don't want to be involved in any of this.'"

The witness then told police Boy K walked through the house and into the back garden where the kennel was.