James Bulger killer Jon Venables denied parole over child abuse images

Jon Venables has been given two new identities since being jailed for the murder of James Bulger

One of the killers of toddler James Bulger has been refused parole for possessing child abuse images.

Jon Venables had applied for parole after being jailed for having child abuse images on his computer in 2017.

He served eight years for the murder of James Bulger in 1993 and was freed on licence, along with Robert Thompson, and given lifelong anonymity in 2001.

His parole bid can be reviewed within two years, the Parole Board said.

James Bulger was tortured and killed by Venables and Thompson, both aged 10 at the time, after they took the two-year-old from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside.

In 2010, under his new name, Venables was jailed for having child abuse images on his laptop. He was released after serving three years and given a second new identity.

In 2017 he was sent back to prison for 40 months after more abuse photographs were discovered on his computer.

His application to be freed has been rejected by the Parole Board following an assessment of his case.

The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice, the Parole Board said.