To the tabloid press, the horrific nature of his most recent offence means that he is – and always will be – a monster. But the deeper evidence suggests we are dealing with a confused young man who desperately needs helpThirty years ago, Norman Mailer successfully campaigned for a convicted killer, Jack Abbott, to be given parole – only for Abbott to stab a young waiter to death just six weeks after being released. Mailer was duly castigated for having been conned and taken in. And the story is often cited as proof that a) murderers are too dangerous ever to let out of prison and b) that those who believe them capable of reform (as Lord Longford also did, with Myra Hindley) are at best naive and at worse dangerous meddlers.Is Jon Venables a Jack Abbott? A leopard who will never...

Monitoring of James Bulger killer Jon Venables had been stepped up following earlier arrestsSupervision of Jon Venables was intensified after he was arrested for affray in 2008, according to probation officers who have defended themselves against claims the child killer should have been recalled to prison long before his arrest for downloading images of child abuse.Questions are being asked about why Venables, who was released from prison in 2001 having served eight years for the murder of Liverpool toddler James Bulger, was not recalled to prison sooner. His trial last week heard that he had been arrested by police after getting embroiled in a drunken fight in 2008.The Conservative MP and former shadow home secretary David Davis said it was "plain as a pikestaff" that Venables should...

The James Bulger killer admits downloading and distributing indecent images of childrenJon Venables, one of the killers of toddler James Bulger, today pleaded guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child pornography.The 27-year-old appeared by videolink at the Old Bailey in London to admit downloading 57 indecent photographs of children on to his computer between February 2009 and February this year.He also pleaded guilty to distributing seven indecent images of children between 1 and 23 February this year after making the pictures available for download by other internet users. He is expected to be sentenced later today.Venables and his primary school friend Robert Thompson were 10 years old in February 1993 when they abducted two-year-old Bulger from a Liverpool shopping...

Killer of James Bulger went back to prison earlier this year but reason can only be revealed now after judge lifts restrictionsJon Venables, one of the killers of toddler James Bulger, has been charged with downloading and distributing child pornography, it can be reported today.Venables is accused of downloading 57 indecent photographs of youngsters onto his computer between February2009 and February this year.He is also charged with distributing seven indecent images of children between 1 February and 23 this year.Venables and Robert Thompson were jailed for life for the 1993 murder of two-year-old James, who was led away from a shopping centre in Liverpool by the then 10-year-olds. They were jailed for life but released on licence in 2001.Venables was recalled to prison in February...

Could you survive for a week without checking your email or looking at the internet? How about no mobile phone and making it two weeks?So, I called someone up the other day. An acquaintance, of sorts. Someone I've spoken to by email countless times over the past two years, discussing work. Halfway through the conversation, it became obvious that we'd never actually spoken before."We must have spoken at some point," I say, a little awkwardly."Yes," she says, meaning no. "Maybe, a year ago?" Meaning never.There's nothing shocking in that. I'm sure you've experienced much the same situation yourself. But surely the fact that it isn't shocking is something we should be shocked by? Why is it acceptable to not actually speak to the people we deal with on a daily basis? Why do we prefer...

Amelia Hillguardian.co.uk, Wednesday 31 March 2010 21.46 BSTLarge numbers of prisoners who pose no danger to the public are trapped in jail because society has become risk-averse over whether to release them on licence, the chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales said tonight.Speaking to the Guardian, Sir David Latham said that public reaction to cases such as Jon Venables, the killer of James Bulger recalled to prison last month, heightened the danger of politicians and parole board members making "skewed decisions" based on wrong assumptions about the risks offenders would pose to the public.As a result, he said, "large numbers" of prisoners are kept in jail, probably unnecessarily."Our release rates have reduced in the last few years in a way which is arguably an over-reaction...

Exclusive Warning of overreaction to risk on eve of review of Venables caseLarge numbers of prisoners who pose no danger to the public are trapped in jail because society has become risk-averse over whether to release them on licence, the chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales said tonight.Speaking to the Guardian, Sir David Latham said that public reaction to cases such as Jon Venables, the killer of James Bulger recalled to prison last month, heightened the danger of politicians and parole board members making "skewed decisions" based on wrong assumptions about the risks offenders would pose to the public.As a result, he said, "large numbers" of prisoners are kept in jail, probably unnecessarily."Our release rates have reduced in the last few years in a way which is arguably an...

Jon Venables could face up to 10 years in jail without trial for breaching the conditions of his release, if his fate is left in the hands of his parole officers.Venables, 27, who was released with a new identity in 2001 after serving eight years in a secure children's unit for the murder of the toddler James Bulger, was returned to prison earlier this month. Justice Secretary Jack Straw has repeatedly refused to provide any details of the reasons behind his recall, but tabloid reports suggest it was in connection with child pornography offences.Even if the claims are true, Venables may yet avoid a charge of possession of pornographic material rated as Category Four – only one category below Britain’s most serious level of child pornography. Category Four possession carries a tariff...

Evaluation of Venables before his release in 2001 concluded the likelihood of the killer re-offending was minorA psychiatric evaluation of Jon Venables carried out before his release from prison concluded that he posed a "trivial" risk to the public and that the likelihood of him re-offending was "so negligible as to not amount to a serious consideration".The document, which was prepared by a leading psychiatrist in 2000 and is excerpted in today's Times, also noted that Venables had made "exceptional psychological progress" and come to terms with his part in the murder of James Bulger in 1993."The Jon Venables of today is a very different person to the Jon Venables aged 10," the report noted. "It has been a very important part of his rehabilitation so far that he has come to terms in a...

Prison guards apparently twigged because of the special attention Jon Venables has receivedBy Tim EdwardsLAST UPDATED 7:50 AM, MARCH 5, 2010It was claimed today that Jon Venables, the murderer of James Bulger, has had his new identity revealed after being returned to prison for breaching the terms of his release.The Sun quotes anonymous sources in the unnamed prison where Venables is being held as saying: "The level of protection he has is incredible. It's like he is some kind of celebrity. He is being held under his new name, which has been kept from all but the most senior prison personnel."Venables was released in 2001 after serving eight years for his part in the murder of two-year-old Bulger, which he carried out with Robert Thompson. Both were given new identities as a precaution...

Jack Straw to assess public reports about licence breach by James Bulger's killer to decide if any details can be confirmedThe justice secretary, Jack Straw, indicated today that he may reveal more details about the breach allegedly committed by James Bulger's killer Jon Venables that prompted his recall to prison.Responding to pressure from the public and media to reveal the specific details of why the 27-year-old, released on licence under a new identity in 2001, was back in jail, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What I want to do is look at what has already been made public ... to look at that and then to make a judgment about if there's information – given that it's already out in the newspapers – we can confirm."Straw's comments followed a number of reports over the...

If reports that Jon Venables – one of the killers of Jamie Bulger – is correct and he is to be charged with offences of a sexual nature, then we face an unprecedented legal quagmire. The law seems to be bending over backwards to nurture and protect Venables following his release from prison; clearly rehabilitation hasn’t worked. Besides Mary Bell and Maxine Carr, I believe Venables and his co-killer Robert Thomspon are the only criminals to be given new identities on their release from prison, and Venables is the only one who faces alleged serious offences. If charged,  there is a possibility that Venables will be tried under a false name in order to give him a fair trial. I  believe the British public can be trusted to give Venables a fair hearing, that they can...

Government maintains refusal to comment on reports that killer of James Bulger was recalled over alleged child pornography offencesOne of the killers of James Bulger, Jon Venables, has been returned to prison for alleged child pornography offences, it was reported today, as the government maintained its refusal to comment on the reasons behind his loss of liberty.Venables, now 27, who was released on licence in 2001 and given a new identity, could face trial for the alleged new crime, the Sunday Mirror reported.Ministers have faced increasing pressure to give details about the reasons behind Venables' loss of liberty since it emerged earlier this week that his parole had been revoked. The justice secretary, Jack Straw, has said only that it happened because of "extremely serious...

Gordon Brown defends decision not to disclose details of what Jon Venables did to breach terms of his releaseA trial of strength was under way between the tabloid media and the government over the reasons for the decision to send Jon Venables back to prison.Gordon Brown tried to defuse growing populist anger over the decision not to disclose what Venables – one of the killers of the toddler James Bulger –had done to breach the terms of his release on a life licence, nine years after he was freed and given a new identity."What we are talking about is a totally abhorrent crime that happened some years ago but that still, rightly so, disgusts and offends the British people. I can rightly understand the public outrage, even after so many years," the prime minister said. "But I want to be...

People from across the political spectrum have been paying tribute to the former Labour leader Michael Foot, who died yesterday aged 96. Michael White and Martin Kettle discuss the legacy of the man whose 1983 election manifesto was described as the "longest suicide note in history".In Bath the return of Olympic gold-medallist Amy Williams brought crowds onto the streets. Her win in the skeleton-bob was Britain's only medal in Vancouver. Steven Morris hears from the athlete and her proud father.The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger says that his killer Jon Venables is behind bars where he belongs. But the Ministry of Justice refuses to say why. Alan Travis explains how the justice system deals with these exceptional cases.And ahead of the Oscars ceremony on Sunday, nine...

Justice secretary Jack Straw says he has 'good reasons' for not disclosing more information about James Bulger's killerPressure was mounting tonight on the justice secretary, Jack Straw, to disclose why Jon Venables, who was convicted at the age of 10 of the murder of two-year-old James Bulger, has been sent back to prison for unspecified breaches of the conditions of his release on a life licence.The calls for public disclosure yesterday were led by Detective Albert Kirby, who led the original investigation into the murder of the toddler in 1993, who said that the public should be told what Venables, now aged 27, had done."I think the statement that came out last night actually raises more questions than it answers. They wouldn't, using football parlance, have given him a red card and...

Breach of parole puts 27-year-old back behind bars for 1993 murder of boy aged two in LiverpoolJon Venables, one of the killers of two-year-old James Bulger, is back in prison after breaching parole, the government has confirmed.Venables, now 27, has been given a new identity since his release from prison for his part in the February 1993 murder that horrified the nation due to the savagery of the crime, the youth of the perpetrators and the age of the victim.Venables and Robert Thompson were both 10 when they abducted and murdered James. He was taken from a shopping centre in Liverpool and found on a railway line having been beaten with bricks and an iron bar. Venables and Thompson, who were truanting from school, walked James around the streets of Liverpool for more than two miles,...

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger says killer Jon Venables is "where he belongs", after he is returned to...

Jon Venables, one of the two killers of toddler James Bulger in 1993, returned to jail after breaching the terms of his licence conditionsOne of the killers of the toddler James Bulger is back in prison after breaching the terms of his licence, the government confirmed yesterday.Jon Venables, now 27, has been given a new identity since his release from prison for his part in the 1993 murder which horrified the nation due to the savagery of the crime, the age of the perpetrators, and the age of the victim.Venables and Robert Thompson, both 10 at the time, abducted and murdered James, two, in February 1993.James was taken from a shopping centre in Liverpool and found on a railway line having been beaten with bricks and an iron bar. Venables and Thompson, who were truanting from school,...

Jamie Bulger killer Jon Venables is returned to prison after breaching the terms of his...

The taxpayer faces a multimillion-pound bill to give the evil mother of Baby P a new identity when she leaves prison - just because British law guarantees EVERYONE the 'right' to life.The unprecedented decision to provide the woman a new identity, home and round-the-clock police protection follows identical arrangements made for other notorious convicts like Maxine Carr, child killer Mary Bell, and Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, who murdered toddler James Bulger. Because of such ridiculous measures, rapists, child-molestors and murderers are able to freely roam the streets after serving time in jail without being justly slaughtered by crusading vigilantes.Despite the proliferation of groups calling for some medieval style capital punishment, it seems that the government will be...