Fri 23rd July
Child killer Jon Venables has been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child pornography.
Jon Venables
Was given a new identity upon release in 2001
He appeared via a video-link at the Old Bailey
He admitted downloading 57 pornographic pictures of youngsters on to his computer between February last year and February this year.
He also pleaded guilty to distributing 49 indecent photographs of children.
The judge ordered that he should not be able to use the internet for five years.
Venables was 10 when he and Robert Thompson murdered toddler James Bulger in 1993.
Sky crime correspondent Martin Brunt, at the Old Bailey, said: "Among the images are four described as Level Four - almost the most serious category - video clips that show the rape of a girl of eight years old.
"Venables' barrister said Venables recognised that what he did was deeply wrong. He had expressed his shame and remorse and talked of the strain of his past catching up with him and finally taking its toll.
James Bulger, abducted from a shopping centre in 1993
"He talked about having to live under his new identity, having to lie to his friends.
"He'd managed to hold down a job, said his barrister, but he found it difficult to have relationships with women and he had recently turned to drink and drugs.
"There was no indication that his downloading and viewing of the child abuse images would turn to the actual physical abuse of any under-age girl.
"He also made the point that the child images were part of a collection that included adult pornography."
The court heard about Venables had been involved in further brushes with the law since his release on licence.
In September 2008 he was arrested on suspicion of affray after a drunken street fight, and later that year was cautioned for possession of cocaine.
Venables' partner in crime, Robert Thompson, in 1993
"It looks as though the case will be dealt with in its entirety today following the guilty pleas. He faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment or a fine."
It is the first time that Venables, now 27, has appeared in court since being recalled to prison in February.
In a highly unusual move, he could be seen only by the judge hearing the case.
The court heard that the images were found on Venables' computer after he left it at a police station.
He had called a probation officer, fearing the secret of his identity had got out.
Venables was told to gather his belongings and when the officer arrived he was trying to delete files from his computer and remove the hard drive.
He was taken to a police station with the machine and it was later examined.
Venables and Thompson abducted James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, tortured and murdered him.
They were given life sentences but released on licence in 2001 after being given new identities which were protected from being made public.
Nothing was known about their new lives until the police investigation into the downloaded images.
James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus was in court to hear Venables admit the charges.
Child killer Jon Venables has been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child pornography.
Jon Venables
Was given a new identity upon release in 2001
He appeared via a video-link at the Old Bailey
He admitted downloading 57 pornographic pictures of youngsters on to his computer between February last year and February this year.
He also pleaded guilty to distributing 49 indecent photographs of children.
The judge ordered that he should not be able to use the internet for five years.
Venables was 10 when he and Robert Thompson murdered toddler James Bulger in 1993.
Sky crime correspondent Martin Brunt, at the Old Bailey, said: "Among the images are four described as Level Four - almost the most serious category - video clips that show the rape of a girl of eight years old.
"Venables' barrister said Venables recognised that what he did was deeply wrong. He had expressed his shame and remorse and talked of the strain of his past catching up with him and finally taking its toll.
James Bulger, abducted from a shopping centre in 1993
"He talked about having to live under his new identity, having to lie to his friends.
"He'd managed to hold down a job, said his barrister, but he found it difficult to have relationships with women and he had recently turned to drink and drugs.
"There was no indication that his downloading and viewing of the child abuse images would turn to the actual physical abuse of any under-age girl.
"He also made the point that the child images were part of a collection that included adult pornography."
The court heard about Venables had been involved in further brushes with the law since his release on licence.
In September 2008 he was arrested on suspicion of affray after a drunken street fight, and later that year was cautioned for possession of cocaine.
Venables' partner in crime, Robert Thompson, in 1993
"It looks as though the case will be dealt with in its entirety today following the guilty pleas. He faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment or a fine."
It is the first time that Venables, now 27, has appeared in court since being recalled to prison in February.
In a highly unusual move, he could be seen only by the judge hearing the case.
The court heard that the images were found on Venables' computer after he left it at a police station.
He had called a probation officer, fearing the secret of his identity had got out.
Venables was told to gather his belongings and when the officer arrived he was trying to delete files from his computer and remove the hard drive.
He was taken to a police station with the machine and it was later examined.
Venables and Thompson abducted James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, tortured and murdered him.
They were given life sentences but released on licence in 2001 after being given new identities which were protected from being made public.
Nothing was known about their new lives until the police investigation into the downloaded images.
James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus was in court to hear Venables admit the charges.
