Police make 12 'significant' arrests in Rhys Jones case

Detectives investigating the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool have arrested 12 people, in a move that officers are labelling "significant".

Of those arrested in connection with Rhys' death, four males, a 16-year-old, 17-year-old, 24-year-old and 25-year-old, were held on suspicion of murder. A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Also held were a 49-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Three women, aged 50, 54 and 21 and a 22-year-old man, were also arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Those 11 arrests came early yesterday morning when more than 100 officers raided homes in the Croxteth area of Liverpool. Later in the morning, a 12th arrest was made when a 17-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The arrests are the 10th set that have been made during the investigation, which had already seen 17 arrests before the 12 yesterday. Many are thought to be rearrests.

Rhys died after being shot in the neck as he crossed a pub car park while walking home from football practice on 22 August last year.

He is thought to have been hit by a stray bullet from the gun of a teenage gang member.