By Claire Corkery PUBLISHED: 22:34, Mon, May … Little Boy Blue: What happened to Rhys Jones’s parents Mel and Steve? The drama reveals how the couple briefly broke up as they struggled to deal with the loss of their son. The … RIP my little brother, you will never be forgotten.”. "Steve likes to work, and keeps it in. During an interview on ITV’s This Morning in 2018, Steve said: “We both felt like we were going in different directions.”, Mel added: “There will always be someone missing from our family.”. “He loved Everton, loved playing football and idolised players such as Lescott, Yobo, Arteta, AJ – to name just a few of his favourites. The couple have struggled tremendously with their grief (Credit: ITV). However, once the trial was over, they struggled to come to. Little Boy Blue: How many episodes are in Little Boy Blue? In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Owen paid tribute to Rhys shortly after his death, saying: “Please do not think my brother was part of any gang, he was just an innocent boy in the wrong place at the wrong time. After his sentencing, Rhys’ parents Mel and Stephen Jones said: “We are disgusted at the seven-year sentence given to … When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. ... but when Rhys' parents made a fresh appeal for witnesses to come forward on 19 September, it was a game changer. Sean Mercer was 16 when he murdered Rhys Jones (Credit: ITV). Rhys Jones, the 11-year-old boy shot dead outside a pub in Liverpool, was today buried after a "service of celebration" at the city's Anglican Cathedral. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Rhys Jones’ killer Sean Mercer sensationally ‘confesses’ to murdering the 11-year-old schoolboy as h - YouTube. His former headteacher and neighbours said he was a friendly and popular boy who loved football. The couple met in 1982 while working at Tesco and have been married for 33 years. The murder of Rhys Milford Jones occurred in Liverpool when he was shot in the back. He was a cracking little player as well. The making of the four-part drama was supported by Rhys’s parents Melanie and Steve Jones. He was just 16-years-old at the time and claimed during the 2008 trial that the murder was an accident. Your email address will not be published. By Angella Johnson, Mail on Sunday Feature Writer Updated: 13:08 EDT, 21 December 2008 “I hope to God that the thug who fired at Rhys is caught and gets his punishment for taking such a promising life away because I do not want anybody, blue or red, feeling what myself and my family currently are. On August 22 2017, the tenth anniversary of Rhys' death, Mercer was pictured keeping a low profile as she moved bags from a car in Liverpool. Mel explained: “We saw this as an opportunity to let the public see what happens to a family like ours in a situation like this. For the Earl of Wessex, the Sovereign's son and Mrs Rhys-Jones's son in law, to be named as the Sovereign's representative at her funeral, was a very considerable honour to Mrs Rhys-Jones. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a … But after some time passed, the couple reunited and are now stronger than ever. Princess Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and the driver Henri Paul died, while Trevor surprisingly survived. What happened to Rhys Jones’ killer? It’s had a devastating impact on our relationship. Rhys Jones parents Steve and Mel briefly split as they struggled to cope following his death, it was revealed in ITV drama Little Boy Blue. Heartbreaking in so many ways. It has torn us apart.”, We wanted to let Sean Mercer and the others involved in Rhys’s murder know that our sentence never ends, Mel and Steve Jones, parents of Rhys Jones. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Little Boy Blue: Who is Claire Olssen and her son Jordan? Yes – Rhys Jones was just 11 when he was killed as he walked home from football practice through the car park of the Fir Tree Pub in Croxteth, Liverpool. Rees Was Separated From His Colleague on the Night of the Accident. Rhys Jones was shot and killed when he was just 11-years-old (Credit: BBC). Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Inside No 9: Who joins the cast opposite regulars Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith? Visit our Facebook Page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story. Required fields are marked *. Thanks to netgalley for letting me read this. Hospital care costs were paid by Dodi's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Rees-Jones's employer at the time of the crash, and the rest by the British National Health Service (NHS). All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. The heartbreaking story of Rhys Jones will be remembered in Little Boy Blue tonight (May 24). With the permission of his bereaved and brave parents Melanie and Steve Jones, ITV have made a poignant four-part factual drama documenting his murder called Little Boy Blue. Your email address will not be published. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. All rights reserved. The couple met in 1982 while working at Tesco and have been married for 33 years. However, in Mel’s book, Stay With Me, Rhys, it’s revealed that the couple briefly split after losing their son. Little Boy Blue concludes tonight at 9pm on ITV. Rhys Jones’ parents are still together. Jones, who would have turned 12 five weeks after his death, had just left Broad Square Primary School on the Norris Green housing estate, and was due to start secondary school at Fazakerley High School in September 2007. If the killer is found to have “matured” and “made exceptional progress”. You can unsubscribe at any time. RHYS Jones' grieving parents' relationship was tested after their son was senselessly gunned down almost a decade ago. Mel and Steve said that they decided to become involved with Little Boy Blue to honour Rhys. Mel and Steve decided to separate and he left the family home in Croxteth, Liverpool. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. “We wanted to show how the pressures we were placed under, the huge weight of grief thrust upon us, the endless waiting, not knowing if we would get justice for Rhys, can tear a family apart. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. PA Archive/PA Images Rhys Jones died on 22 August … The elder al Fayed had claimed the bodyguard "knew exactly what happened… Little Boy Blue is on ITV at 9pm Sunday (May 24.) He had one brother, Owen (born 1990). His parents, Francis and Marie, were also convicted of trying to throw murder squad detectives off the scent and hide their son’s involvement. Sean Mercer was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison for killing Rhys Jones. As part of their efforts to keep Rhys’s memory alive, Mel and Steve also raised funds to open two football pitches and a community centre in his name in 2013. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. The couple, who are also parents to son Owen, fiercely supported each other during the court case – which saw 18-year-old Sean Mercer charged with murder. Rhys Jones’ parents were heavily involved in the making of Little Boy Blue. Steve and Mel Jones, in real life and in Little Boy Bluea. Very well written if slightly repetitive. They collaborated with ITV on the four part series to honour their son. Steve and Mel Jones grief was retold in the TV drama Little Boy Blue, the ITV drama about the 11-year-old's murder in Croxteth, Liverpool. At first, it was widely rumoured that Rees-Jones had lost his tongue in the crash, but this was untrue. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Rhys Jones with his big brother Owen and their parents Steve and Mel (Credit: BBC) What happened to Rhys Jones’ brother Owen? However, in Mel’s book, … Rhys was 11 years old when he was shot (Image: PA) The documentary has been made with the full support of Rhys’ parents, Melanie and Steve, who spoke to Susanna Reid … Mother of Rhys Jones's killer jailed for three years This article is more than 11 years old Janette Mercer and parents of co-accused sentenced for perverting the course of justice Mercer was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Rhys Jones, with a minimum of 22 years. to Wednesday (May 27.). 16-year-old Sean Mercer went on trial on 2 October 2008, and was found guilty of murder on 16 December. A source told Sunday People at the time: “It was obviously a traumatic time for Steve and Mel. “But beyond this we saw this as an opportunity to let the public see what happens to a family like ours in a situation like this,” they said in a statement. The Sunday People reported this week that Steve moved out of the family home in Croxeth, Liverpool, after Mercer’s sentencing to “sort his head out”. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. In August 2007, 11-year-old Rhys Jones was killed in Liverpool – a senseless crime which shocked the nation.. Mel has said that her and Steve finds some solace in their eldest son Owen, who was 17 when Rhys was murdered. The now 29-year-old has the right to appeal his sentenced as he was a youth when he was convicted. A source told the newspaper: “They came out the other end stronger.”. However, in Mel’s book, Stay With Me, Rhys, it’s revealed that the couple briefly split after losing their son. The youngster died at the scene, in the arms of his mother Melanie who rushed to the scene when she heard the news. But 13 years on, are Rhys Jones’ parents still together? But the verdict fails to bring closure to Rhys’s parents Mel (played by Sinead Keenan) and Steve (Brian F O’Byrne) as the fractures in their relationship come to a head. “Everyone deals with grief differently,” she told the Daily Mirror. The story of what happened to Rhys Jones, his family and friends in his mother’s words. Sinead Keenan and Brian F O'Byrne play Mel and Steve Jones in Little Boy Blue, The couple were devastated by the murder of their son Rhys, Rhys was survived by his older brother Owen, who was 17 at the time of the murder, Little Boy Blue: Who is Kevin Moody? “We are never feeling the same on the same day. Having sons myself, it has been a hard and emotional to report on this programme. Earlier this month, Rhys' heartbroken father Steve Jones told the ECHO that Mercer is now attempting to cut his jail term. Earlier this year, Sean appeared in court in an attempted to get his sentence reduced. VIEWERS were left sickened watching Little Boy Blue tonight as the parents of Rhys Jones' killer and his accomplice covered up for their sons. Little Boy Blue: What really happened during the trial of Rhys Jones's killer Sean Mercer? “We wanted to show how the pressures we were placed under, the huge weight of grief thrust upon us, the endless waiting, not knowing if we would get justice for Rhys, can tear a family apart.”, She added: “We spoke very openly to the programme makers about what we went through because we wanted to let Sean Mercer and the others involved in Rhys’s murder know that our sentence never ends.”. It took its toll.”. I’m emotional and like to scream. Rhys Jones' parents agony ahead of his birthday: He would be 18 now but to us he'll always be 11 Rhys pictured on a family holiday in a police handout Rhys was an innocent victim (Image: PA) Sean Mercer was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison for killing Rhys Jones. Rhys Jones’ parents have fought to keep his memory alive (Credit: ITV). He fired three shots - the second of which hit Rhys in the back. I can see where this is confusing to some people but a little knowledge of … The couple met in 1982 while working at Tesco and have been married for 33 years. The murder of Rhys Jones will be fresh in people’s minds because of Little Boy Blue , the drama that went out on ITV last year. He was just 16-years-old at the time and claimed during the 2008 trial that the murder was an accident. Sean Mercer now: what happened to Rhys Jones’ killer and his associate James Yates after the murder Sean Mercer killed Rhys Jones, an 11-year-old boy, in Liverpool in 2007 He was accused of providing the gun used by Mercer to murder Rhys and then helping Mercer dispose of evidence after the schoolboy’s death. Parents of Rhys Jones tell Holly Willoughby … In August 2007, the 11-year-old was shot and killed in broad daylight while on his way home from football practice. The third episode of Little Boy Blue, a dramatisation of the heartbreaking case, airs tonight on ITV at 9.15pm. In April 2020, Rhys' parents were informed the strict conditions, which were preventing the career criminal entering Croxteth, are no longer in force. Before the crash, Diana and … The schoolboy was heading home alone after football practice at 7.30pm in broad daylight when … He’s currently serving that sentence at HMP Frankland, a Category A or high security prison. A source said the heartbreak that followed the young Everton fan’s murder took a strain on the couple, who first met while working at Tesco. This is a truly powerful and moving read. None of them had their seatbelts on, but it’s believed that Trevor … It was very true-to-life telling of the terrible events from 2007. Powered by WordPress using DisruptPress Theme. Trevor Rees-Jones was the only survivor from the car accident in which Princess Diana lost her life on August 31, 1997, when black Mercedes driven by Henri Paul, crashed into a concrete pillar at Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. Rhys Jones was the second-born son of Stephen (born in Liverpool) and Melanie Jones (née Edwards; born in Wrexham). Radio City also launched their anti-gun-crime campaign (backed by Jones’ parents), In Rhys’s Name Get Guns Off Our Streets, after the incident. 11 people, including 16-year-old Sean Mercer, were found guilty for their part in the death of the young Everton fan. Rhys Jones's parents' rage against gang culture being allowed to flourish. He underwent a 10-hour operation to restore his jaw to a normal condition. In 2013, ahead of what would have been Rhys’s 18 birthday, Mel admitted that their marriage “has ups and downs on different days”. 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