Bulger killer Jon Venables back in jail over child abuse images

Child killer Jon Venables has reportedly been sent back to prison after being caught with child abuse images on his computer for a second time.

The 35-year-old, who killed toddler James Bulger in 1993, was also jailed in 2010 after pleading guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child pornography.

He was arrested last week after probation officials found indecent images on his personal computer at his home in the north of England, where he lives under a new identity, The Daily Telegraph reports.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Venables was first jailed at the age of ten, along with his peer Robert Thompson, after they were found guilty of kidnapping, torturing and murdering two-year-old Bulger in Liverpool. Both men were released at the age of 18.

Denise Fergus, Bulger’s mother, told Sky News today that Venables’ third arrest “proves beyond any doubt what a vile, perverted psychopath he has always been”. She also criticised the probation service, saying she warned them that Venables would reoffend unless they kept a tight rein on him.

“What hurts me most,” she added, in a statement, “is the way the probation service has tried to cover this up. Venables was taken back into custody a week ago, yet I was only informed hours before it hit the press.”

The Ministry of Justice declined to comment to The Guardian.