A man has been arrested after the grave of James Bulger was vandalised, police have announced.
Two-year-old James was tortured and murdered by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, then aged 10, after they snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993.
This week the youngster’s grave, in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool, was reportedly damaged for a second time in six weeks.
Merseyside Police stated that 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.”
Venables and Thompson were jailed in November 1993 after the pair of 10-year-olds committed one of the most notorious crimes in British history.
Both boys were released on licence under new identities in June 2001, but Venables was arrested for affray and cocaine possession in late 2008.
He was then 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.
In 2023, the Parole Board rejected the bid, finding he still posed a danger to children and could go on to offend again.
It was reported in January that Venables was set to have his latest bid for freedom heard by a Parole Board, and that James’s family had been informed of the news. However, no date was confirmed by the Parole Board.
