Little Boy Blue actors playing Rhys Jones, his heartbroken parents and killer Sean Mercer look just like them
IT IS the case that the broke the heart of the nation.
Schoolboy Rhys Jones was killed when he was 11, shot as he walked home alone after football practise.
The case will now be relived in a new documentary, Little Boy Blue, with actors taking on the challenging task of doing justice to the tragic story.
But how much do the actors look like those involved in the case?
Rhys Jones
The 11-year-old will be played by Sonny Beyga.
It is one of the first roles for the young boy, who is from Liverpool like Rhys.
The boys bear a striking resemblance, with Sonny having a similar round face to young Rhys.
Sean Mercer
Played by Paddy Rowan, Sean Mercer was 18 and a member of the Croxteth Crew gang when he fired three shots from a handgun.
One of the shots hit young Rhys in the back.
Eighteen months later, Sean was found guilty of murder at Liverpool’s Crown Court, sent down for life with a minimum of 22 years behind bars.
With his cropped shave for the drama, Paddy Rowan has managed to embody the man who remains behind bars to this day.
Mel and Steve Jones
The parents of Rhys Jones have spoken out about the ITV drama, saying they hoped the culprits would see the devastating impact that the 11-year-old's death had on them.
Mel and Steve Jones said they simply wanted their son back - with their tragic tale portrayed by actors Sinead Keenan and Brian O'Byrne.
DSI Dave Kelly
Stephen Graham, one of the UK's finest actors, will play the lead police investigator in Little Boy Blue.
The 43-year-old will play the role of the top cop who worked for 18 months to investigate the murder.
James Yates
James Nelson-Joyce has taken on the role of James Yates, the boy who supplied the gun with which Rhys was killed.
Yates, now 29, was a member of the Croxeth Crew gang who gave killer Sean Mercer the Smith and Wesson gun with which he shot Rhys.
As Rhys lay dying, Yates helped Mercer dispose of his bike, clothes and the gun he had provided him with mere minutes before the shooting.
Frank Yates
Jack Lamb landed the meaty role in the true crime drama Little Boy Blue.
The Liverpudlian actor plays scheming Frank Yates in the ITV production documenting the murder of schoolboy Rhys Jones.
Little Boy Blue begins on ITV on Monday April 24, with the first of four one-hour episodes starting at 9.00pm.
Episode one shows how Rhys’s tragic death occurred and looks at how the police went about gathering evidence to ensure a successful conviction.
Melanie and Steve gave their full backing to the production of the drama which was filmed in Liverpool and around the North West.
The team behind the camera have been responsible for an array of hard-hitting, quality dramas, with producer Kwadjo Dajan having worked on Cilla, Mrs Biggs and Appropriate Adult, while director Paul Whittington also has credits for The Moorside, The Widower, Cilla and Mrs Biggs.