Tories lead growing demands for information on Bulger killer recall

The Tories called yesterday for more details to be revealed about the return to prison of one of James Bulger's killers, as a matter of public interest.

Jon Venables, now 27, was taken back into custody last week for breaching the conditions of his release.

Little is officially known about the reasons why and Ministers have refused to provide further details, though he had reportedly been involved in fighting with a colleague and developed a drug problem.

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Yesterday the Leader of the Commons Harriet Harman was asked by her Tory Shadow Sir George Young: “Do you agree with me and apparently the Home Secretary that unless there are very good reasons for keeping this information secret, it is in the public interest to know why Jon Venables has been sent back to prison?”

Ms Harman told him: “The question is the matter of the court order requiring anonymity, and I think the processes around that have got to be in compliance with the court order, which required that his identify should remain secret.”

Previously Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the decision not to release further details, saying the secrecy was “genuinely in the public interest”.

But the detective who led the investigation into the Bulger killing, Albert Kirby, has said the public should be told. Home Secretary Alan Johnson has appeared to back calls for more information to be released.

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Venables and Robert Thompson were 10 when they abused and battered two-year-old James to death 17 years ago after snatching him from a shopping centre at Bootle, Merseyside.

When the pair were released in 2001 they were given strict rules governing their behaviour in society, which last a lifetime.

Among the conditions affecting Venables are that he should not return to Merseyside or contact Thompson.

It is not clear which of the conditions he allegedly breached.