The parents of murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones have branded his killer's mother "as guilty as her son" in the shocking crime.
Janette Mercer was locked up for three years after she admitted perverting the course of justice by lying in a bid to cover-up the murder.
The mother-of-three backed her son, Sean, 18, when he denied owning a silver bike caught on CCTV being used by the gunman.
Sean Mercer shot Rhys, 11, in a pub car park near his home in Croxteth on 22 August 2007
The parents of James Yates, who armed Mercer were also jailed for perverting the course of justice.
Marie Yates, 51, hindered the murder investigation by destroying a mobile phone SIM card belonging to her son which denied police vital evidence.
Francis Yates, 49, was with his wife when the SIM was burned and also suggested a false alibi to help Mercer cover his tracks.
The couple, from Dodman Road, Croxteth, were sentenced to 18 months for destroying the SIM card.
Francis Yates was also jailed for three years, to be served consecutively, for helping Mercer with a false alibi.
Rhys' parents Melanie and Stephen Jones said: "In our eyes Mrs Mercer and Mr & Mrs Yates were always as guilty as their sons.
"To intentionally cover up Rhys' murder - to protect the murderer and hisaccomplice and prolong our agony is unforgivable.
"As parents themselves they should have understood our pain, but instead they chose to ignore it. For us no prison sentence for those people would be long enough.
"As adults they should have known right from wrong and once they knew of the terrible crimes that their children had committed. They should have immediatelydone everything in their power to bring them to justice.
"Today we feel we have finally got complete justice for Rhys."
The three were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court. Judge, Henry Globe QC said the shooting of Rhys Jones was the result of "mindless" gang warfare" and had "saddened the lives of all decent people".
To Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, he said: Your son was a key suspect in the murder and you knew he had told a pack of lies.
"You backed him up and you told more lies."
Ian, Middlesbrough around 3 years, 1 month ago