James Bulger killer Jon Venables granted parole hearing

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 granted a parole hearing, the Parole Board has confirmed.

Jon Venables served eight years for the two-year-old's murder in 1993 and was freed on licence, along with Robert Thompson, and given lifelong anonymity.

But in 2017 Venables was jailed again for having child abuse images on his computer.

A parole hearing will take place in November.

A spokesman said: "Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims."

James Bulger was tortured and killed by Venables and Thompson, who were both aged 10 at the time, after they took him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside.

James Bulger was two when he was abducted and killed in 1993

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

However, in 2017 he was sent back to prison for 40 months after more abuse images were discovered on his computer.

Venables had an application to be freed rejected in 2020 following an assessment of his case.

The Parole Board earlier said an oral hearing was listed for a parole review.

The spokesman said members would "read and digest hundreds of pages of reports" in the lead up to the hearing.

"Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing," he said.

The prisoner and witnesses would then be questioned at length, he said, adding: "Protecting the public is our number one priority."

The hearing is scheduled for 14 and 15 November, and a decision on whether prisoners can be released is usually made within 14 days.

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