'Wall of Silence' must be broken down - Hughes

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 24th Aug 2007

Following the shooting of Rhys Jones in Liverpool on Wednesday 22nd August 2007, President of the Liberal Democrats Simon Hughes MP said that no excuses justify children, young people and adults not coming forward with information to identify those guilty of crimes against the young.

After a wall of silence initially prevented progress in tracking down the young people who killed teenager Jamie Robe in south east London 10 years ago this month, Simon Hughes successfully called for witnesses to come forward when people would not initially go to the police.

Simon Hughes said:

''In our community exactly ten years ago, as in Liverpool today, children, teenagers and adults were afraid of the consequences of sharing their information with community and faith leaders, the police, or family and friends about the latest youngster killed by youth crime.

''But the facts about crimes like this will always come out in the end.

''The whole community owes it to all Rhys's innocent and grieving family and friends to make sure that all involved are held to account for their actions.

''There will only be order on our streets when there is justice. Justice delayed is justice denied.''