Man, 78, arrested after grave of murdered toddler James Bulger vandalised for second time
A man has been arrested after the grave of murdered toddler James Bulger was vandalised, police have said.
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Two-year-old James was tortured and killed by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, then aged 10, after they snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993.
The infamous case horrified the nation and solidified the age of criminal responsibility at 10 in England & Wales.
This week the youngster’s grave, in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool, was reportedly damaged for a second time in six weeks.
Merseyside Police said a 78-year-old man, from Kirkby, had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and theft.
The force said it was informed that damage to the grave had been discovered at 1.20pm on Friday and the arrest took place at 4.10pm.
Temporary Detective Inspector Viki Lanceley said: “A man has now been arrested and we will continue to update and support James’s family as the investigation progresses.
“I would encourage anyone with information to come forward directly to police as soon as possible.”
'Absolutely disgusted'
James' mother Denise Fergus said she has been left “absolutely disgusted” by the vandalism.
“I am absolutely disgusted that James’ grave has been demolished and devastated again.
"It has broken our hearts. My heart sank when I found out about it this morning,” she told the MIrror.
Venables and Thompson, who were both aged 10 at the time, were locked up following their murder convictions.
It comes as the latest bid for freedom by 43-year-old Venables is set to be heard by a parole board - the first oral hearing in more than two years, after his last appeal was rejected.
In 2023, the Parole Board rejected the bid and found he still posed a danger to children and could go on to offend again.
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Venables was released on licence in July 2001 and recalled to prison in February 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer.
He was once again freed in August 2013 and then called back in November 2017 for the same offence, with parole judges considering his case again in September 2020.