Harley Quinn
March 3rd, 2010, 02:26 PM
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47405000/jpg/_47405474_-14.jpg
James Bulger was murdered on Merseyside in 1993
In her first reaction to his return to custody, Denise Fergus also said on Twitter, "is this my son's justice?".
Venables, 27, was recalled to prison last week after breaching the terms of his release. He and Robert Thompson killed James on Merseyside in 1993.
The home secretary said the public had a right to know why he was returned to custody, but refused to give details.
Two-year-old James was abducted by Venables and Thompson while at the Strand shopping centre in Bootle.
His battered body was found by children playing on a freight railway line more than two miles from the shopping centre, and 200 yards from Walton Lane police station in Liverpool.
The killers were given life sentences, but released in 2001 with new identities and under certain licence conditions.
Family members said Mrs Fergus remained unaware of the nature of Venables' breach. The precise details were not released by the Ministry of Justice.
Both Thompson and Venables were given new identities when they were released. An order prohibiting the publication of details which could reveal their whereabouts has since remained in place.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said he could not reveal the reasons behind Venables' recall to custody.
"I believe the public do have a right to know and I believe they will know all the facts in due course."
Later, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said it was in the public interest that it be kept secret.
"I know there's an intense public interest in why he has been recalled," said Mr Straw.
"I would like to give that information but I'm sorry that for good reasons I can't and that's in the public interest."
He confirmed the Bulger family has not been told the reasons for the recall.
"For very good reason we have had to keep restricted details as to why Mr Venables has been recalled.
"I was however very anxious that the victim's family should know that he was being recalled before they found it out from the newspapers."
Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of Napo, the probation union, said Venables could have been recalled to custody under two procedures.
It could be an emergency procedure in which he would have to be charged with a serious offence, or a standard incident, perhaps involving a technicality such as a failure to keep appointments with a probation officer, Mr Fletcher said.
In an interview on BBC Radio Merseyside, Venables' solicitor at the trial, Laurence Lee, said it was a "bit early to condemn him completely until we know what he has done".
More here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8546834.stm)
James Bulger was murdered on Merseyside in 1993
In her first reaction to his return to custody, Denise Fergus also said on Twitter, "is this my son's justice?".
Venables, 27, was recalled to prison last week after breaching the terms of his release. He and Robert Thompson killed James on Merseyside in 1993.
The home secretary said the public had a right to know why he was returned to custody, but refused to give details.
Two-year-old James was abducted by Venables and Thompson while at the Strand shopping centre in Bootle.
His battered body was found by children playing on a freight railway line more than two miles from the shopping centre, and 200 yards from Walton Lane police station in Liverpool.
The killers were given life sentences, but released in 2001 with new identities and under certain licence conditions.
Family members said Mrs Fergus remained unaware of the nature of Venables' breach. The precise details were not released by the Ministry of Justice.
Both Thompson and Venables were given new identities when they were released. An order prohibiting the publication of details which could reveal their whereabouts has since remained in place.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said he could not reveal the reasons behind Venables' recall to custody.
"I believe the public do have a right to know and I believe they will know all the facts in due course."
Later, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said it was in the public interest that it be kept secret.
"I know there's an intense public interest in why he has been recalled," said Mr Straw.
"I would like to give that information but I'm sorry that for good reasons I can't and that's in the public interest."
He confirmed the Bulger family has not been told the reasons for the recall.
"For very good reason we have had to keep restricted details as to why Mr Venables has been recalled.
"I was however very anxious that the victim's family should know that he was being recalled before they found it out from the newspapers."
Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of Napo, the probation union, said Venables could have been recalled to custody under two procedures.
It could be an emergency procedure in which he would have to be charged with a serious offence, or a standard incident, perhaps involving a technicality such as a failure to keep appointments with a probation officer, Mr Fletcher said.
In an interview on BBC Radio Merseyside, Venables' solicitor at the trial, Laurence Lee, said it was a "bit early to condemn him completely until we know what he has done".
More here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8546834.stm)