Rhys Jones killer Sean Mercer may sue makers of ITV drama Little Boy Blue

It’s hard to forget the tragic story of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was murdered in Liverpool in 2007 just one month before his twelfth birthday as he walked home from football practice.

The horrific crime and the subsequent trial of Sean Mercer has been dramatised in the powerful ITV series, ‘Little Boy Blue’.

Rhys was shot in the back and his murderer went on trial on 2 October 2008.

He was jailed for life three months later and has apparently been keeping an eye on the recent television drama that tells the story of those life-changing events.

The final episode aired last night and saw Mercer and his fellow gang members laughing and joking at the trial in Decemeber 2008, showing little remorse as they threw paper planes, whispered and giggled throughout.

And it has now been reported that Mercer has made a complaint about the making of ‘Little Boy Blue’ because it makes him look “evil”.

A source told the Daily Star: “He [Mercer] thinks the show has made him look like the most evil man in Britain when he isn’t.

“He says one of the characters on TV doesn’t exist in real life.

“His mates inside reckon he should make the most of it and sue. Some say they know lawyers itching to take the case.”

Actor Paddy Rowan portrays the killer in the drama, which traces the steps of Rhys and Mercer and the investigation to bring Mercer and his gang members to trial.

Police struggled for eight months to charge Mercer because witnesses were afraid to go on record to say they saw the shooting.

But the authorities finally had a breakthrough when they made contact with Boy X, who had no previous criminal record and who was pressured by Mercer into hiding the Rhys Jones murder weapon.

Prosecutors were given permission by the Attorney General to offer Boy X immunity and witness protection in exchange for crucial evidence to bring down his pal.

Mercer originally denied shooting Rhys and stayed silent during his 10-week trial.

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