A man shot his "enemy" in a bid to kill him in "revenge" for a spate of attacks on him and his family, a trial has heard.
Rio Jones pursued the man through the streets of Toxteth on an electric bike before firing six times, hitting him in the wrist and striking an innocent 15-year-old girl - who had been waiting for a bus home from school - in the neck. The 19-year-old is currently facing a jury at Liverpool Crown Court accused of attempting to murder the "target", who cannot be named for legal reasons and will instead be referred to as Male A by the ECHO.
David Temkin KC addressed the panel of six men and six women this afternoon, Wednesday, in his closing speech on behalf of the prosecution. He told jurors that they "could not believe a word that Jones said", he having claimed to have only intended to frighten a member of a rival group of former friends after a murder caused a schism.
READ MORE: Schoolboy, 15, who died at Liverpool ONE restaurant named
Since this incident five years ago, the teenager was said to have been targeted in a series of assaults. This included him being stabbed and the windows of the family home on Jermyn Street having been shot at.
Jones maintained that he had "panicked" when he pulled the firearm out on Upper Warwick Street at around 5pm on March 1 this year and discharged six shots. The schoolgirl, Girl A, suffered serious injuries - including lung damage and three fractured vertebrae - while Male A subsequently underwent surgery.
Mr Temkin said: "One question you may wish to ask yourself is, why did this shooting happen in the first place? I suggest that the answer points firmly towards Rio Jones having a motive.
"You heard about a history of attacks on Rio Jones himself, his family and his own home - a range of attacks, escalating in seriousness. Damage to a car, fire damage to dad's van, arson to his house, petrol through the letterbox - terrifying.
"Being run over, being stabbed - it was only his body armour that saved him from serious injuries. It was the other group, Male A's group and his associates, who he believed, blamed and perceived to be responsible for those dreadful attacks on him and his family - including somebody trying to kill him, somebody tried to shoot into his house.
"Rio Jones was going to take matters into his own hands and seek revenge. You may think that points firmly for a motive for Rio Jones to try and kill Male A, a member of that other group.
"Rio Jones said all he intended to do was to cause fear. Use your common sense and ask yourself, does that sound right on the evidence you have considered?
"An attempt to cause fear, will that stop people chasing him? Is it going to deter that kind of behaviour, or does it need more firm, drastic and serious action?
"He was chased that morning. He was scared, and so he decided that he would find one of the group and he was going to go and chase them.
"Is that going to bring a stop to things? Where is the logic in that?"
Mr Temkin cited the account Jones gave under cross-examination on Monday, that an unnamed man not associated with either group had handed him a loaded semi-automatic handgun in Crown Street Park unprompted in the minutes before the shooting. The prosecutor added: "Is it a chance encounter with the mysterious provider in the park, or had something already been planned?
"By some miraculous act of charity, some bloke with no axe to grind nips out of the park and comes back with a gun. This bloke didn't want anything in return or anything later when it was clear that six bullets had been used.
"Does that make sense? Accurate, honest or a complete fabrication?
"You can be sure that the defendant and Male A were not friends. They were enemies.
"They were members of opposing groups. There were problems between those groups, and the problems were going to get solved that day by revenge."
Mr Temkin said Jones had lied throughout the police investigation, maintaining that he had not been the gunman until as recently as last week. He told the jury: "This case, largely, is about Rio Jones' credibility.
"Rio Jones has one motivation, to save his own skin - to protect himself. From the word go, Rio Jones took steps to mislead and deceive.
"He got rid of the gun, he got rid of the bike, he got rid of his clothes - even his shoes. He changed his phone to frustrate any future police investigation.
"He got on with his life as though nothing had happened. He was arrested, he was interviewed.
"He knew full well he was responsible. The defendant was asked a series of questions which he could have answered, but he chose not to.
"We get to this court. It was explained that his defence was he wasn't the gunman.
"These lies lasted for months. How can he now regain trust?
"He misled all of us, until last week - when the evidence was so overwhelming that he had to admit he was the gunman and think of a defence that might do. You cannot believe a word that Rio Jones has said to you in evidence."
Mr Temkin said Jones had chased Male A over a distance of up to 300m then took aim at his upper body. He added: "Rio Jones could have turned without firing a single shot, but he chose not to.
"Did the defendant simply pull the gun out to show Male A he had it? Did he shoot it up in the air, down to the ground?
"He immediately shot it directly at Male A. There was nothing accidental about that.
"There were six shots, six conscious pulls of that trigger. The prosecution say those were the actions of a man who was determined to kill the person he was aiming at, committed to doing so and resolute that it would be done.
"Make no mistake please, Rio Jones intended to kill Male A and he intended to cause really serious injury to anybody who got in the way of any of those bullets. Male A and Girl A were very lucky not to have lost their lives that day."
Jones denies attempted murder and two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, although he admits possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The trial continues, with the jury expected to retire to consider its verdicts on Wednesday.
READ NEXT: Scrambler bike rider suffers serious injuries after crashing into phone box
Gunman stabbed, shot at and run over after murder led to rift between friends
Sex offender admitted his crimes to his sister while in hospital
Lucy Letby 'mentor' thought 'not again' when twin baby collapsed, trial hears
Man grabs rail staff by throat after trying to travel without train ticket
