MPs to debate petition on James Bulger killer Jon Venables

Jon Venables was 10 when he and Robert Thompson killed James Bulger

A petition calling for a public inquiry into why one of James Bulger's killers was free to commit more offences will be debated in Parliament.

Jon Venables murdered two-year-old James with Robert Thompson in Liverpool when they were 10 in 1993.

Venables was jailed last month for possessing indecent images of children for the second time but the government rejected the call for a public inquiry.

James's mother Denise Fergus said the debate was "something positive".

'Justice for James'

More than 212,000 people signed the petition, which also calls for questions to be asked about Venables' time in the prison system and why experts believed he had been rehabilitated.

The murderer - who lives under a new identity - was jailed for three years and four months at the Old Bailey in February. He had been jailed for the same offence in July 2010.

Speaking on Thursday, Mrs Fergus said: "I am so happy that something positive is happening finally, on the eve of what would have been my James's 28th birthday tomorrow.

"I cannot thank all who have supported me through what has been a very frustrating and emotional fight and hope that now I will finally get justice for James."

James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus said the Petitions Committee had listened to "overwhelming support" from the public

The Ministry of Justice initially said the inquiry the petition wanted was unnecessary because Venables was convicted "as a direct result of robust and effective monitoring".

However, the Petitions Committee announced in a statement on Thursday that MPs would debate the matter in Parliament.

Mrs Fergus said: "The Petition Committee have finally listened to the overwhelming support from the public."

Lawyers representing James Bulger's family are separately challenging Venables' lifelong anonymity order in the High Court.

The committee could not give a date when the debate would happen because of ongoing legal proceedings "relevant to the petition".