Liverpool toddler James Bulger's killer Jon Venables recalled for 'very serious allegations'

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were two 10-year-old boys responsible for the death of James Patrick Bulger, a two-year-old child from Liverpool, England who was abducted, tortured, and murdered in 1993.

James Bulger disappeared on 12 February 1993 from the New Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle, while shopping with his mother.

His mutilated body was found on a railway line 2 days later in nearby Walton on 14 February.

Thompson and Venables were charged on 20 February 1993 with the abduction and murder.

They were subsequently found guilty of the murder of Bulger and became the youngest persons convicted of murder in recent English history.

They were sentenced to custody until they reached adulthood, initially until the age of 18.

In June 2001, after a six-month review, the parole board concluded that the boys were no longer a threat to the public and could be set free as their minimum sentence had been served.

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, approved this decision, and they were released. They were given new identities and moved to secret locations under a "witness protection"-scheme. They will live on a "life licence", which allows their immediate return into custody for an unlimited time if they are seen to be a danger to the public. As part of their conditions, they were required to end any contact with each other

On 2 March 2010, the Ministry of Justice revealed that Jon Venables had been returned to prison for violation of the terms of his licence of release.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw stated that Venables was returned to prison because of "very serious allegations". Straw has stated: "I was unable to give further details of the reasons for Jon Venables' return to custody, because it was not in the public interest to do so.

The Sunday Mirror claimed on 7 March that Venables was returned to prison on suspected child pornography charges, though this has not been confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice stated that there is a worldwide injunction against publication of either killers' location or new identity.

Another incredible thing what has been revealed since he has beenReturned to jail again, Venables was allowed out of UK on a secret holiday in Norway. This is totally against all the rules and it is a violation of the terms of his licence of release.



From the archives of The Liverpool Echo 1993 about Jon Venables and Robert Thompson