Now Gordon Brown rejects Bulger family's demand to know if killer was sent back to jail for drugs and violence By STEPHEN WRIGHT, JAMES SLACK, TIM SHIPMAN and JAMES TOZER

Sources say Venables 'flipped' and attacked colleague Has been in hospital after violent fights twice Victim's father: 'It's one more kick in the teeth' Gordon Brown today rejected growing calls for the public to be told why one of the killers of James Bulger has been put back behind bars. The Prime Minister defended the Government's stubborn refusal to reveal why Jon Venables has returned to jail as details emerged of his new alleged offences. Sources say the murderer, who is now 27, 'flipped' and attacked a colleague and had been using Ecstasy and cocaine since his release in 2001. It also emerged that Venables has been hospitalised twice since he was freed after becoming involved in violent altercations. It was claimed he was stabbed more than two years ago during a row after a man tried to chat up his girlfriend. Mugshot: Jon Venables, aged ten, poses for police in 1993 Mr Brown insisted this morning that he understood public anger over the iconic murder but said it was right not to lay bare the details of the recall. 'What we are talking about is a totally abhorrent crime that happened some years ago but that still, rightly so, disgusts and offends the British people and I can rightly understand the public outrage, even after so many years,' he said. Keeping quiet: Gordon Brown today as he also refused to reveal why Jon Venables is back in custody 'But the public know that we cannot comment on individual cases that are going through the system and I think the Justice Secretary explained the particular constraints in this case. 'What matters here is that the justice system is allowed to run its course and that justice is done, whatever wrongs are committed. The justice system must be allowed to take the action that is necessary. That is what people would expect and that is what is going to happen.' Suspicion was growing that Venables had returned to violence, which raised fresh doubt over the wisdom of releasing the two murderers in the first place. Last night, it was claimed the 27-year-old had been recalled after attacking a work colleague. A source told the Daily Mirror that the pair grappled before others intervened and pulled them apart. More... DAVID WILSON: Why we must be told the truth MAIL COMMENT: Jon Venables - open justice and a family betrayed His alleged victim is said to have made an official complaint about the attack which led to Venables's suspension from his job. And it was alleged that in December 2008 Venables was arrested by police after being seen taking cocaine in an alleyway with another man. It was claimed he was later let off with a caution. The Ministry of Justice refused to comment on the claims today. Distraught: Denise Fergus, Jamie Bulger's mother, in Liverpool yesterday The Bulgers have led condemnation for the move to put the human rights of James' killers ahead of his parents. His father Ralph said the decision to hide the truth is a 'disgrace' and 'one more kick in the teeth for James and his family'. Justice Secretary Jack Straw fuelled the mounting anger yesterday by refusing to be drawn. He insisted it was 'not in the public interest' to reveal how Venables breached his parole nine years after he was controversially released from custody. Yet hours earlier, Home Secretary Alan Johnson had declared on TV that he believed 'the public do have a right to know'. Mr Bulger added: 'From day one, everything has been done to protect the human rights of Venables. 'He was given a second chance, unlike my son, but he has blown it and now he deserves for those same human rights to be revoked and for the Government to reveal all. My biggest fear now is whether another child has been killed and another family is going through the hell we live with every day.' On her Twitter page, James's 42-year-old mother Denise Fergus wrote: 'Would like to let everyone know Jon Venables is where he belongs tonight behind bars. Is this my son's justice?' She added today: 'I've always said that there are more good people then bad in this world and the messages I' still receiving proves it. Thanks to everyone x.' A spokesman for Mrs Fergus confirmed that she had not been informed of the reason for the recall. 'The decision to inform Denise that Venables is in custody, without telling her what he has done, is very callous and insensitive. 'Denise agrees with Alan Johnson that she and the public have a right to know what Venables has done, and what his punishment will be.' Murder: James Bulger (left) and Venables' accomplice Robert Thompson (right) As few as eight officials were said to know the precise reason why the killer has been returned to jail, although ministers privately briefed the Tories and Liberal Democrats to explain what had happened. Venables and Robert Thompson, who were freed with new identities in 2001, were just ten when they snatched two-year-old James in a Liverpool shopping centre and battered him to death in February 1993. Both killers were given compulsory life sentences for the murder but were released after serving just eight years in custody when they won a human rights court battle. In a terse statement on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Justice said Venables was recalled to prison after breaching the terms of his release. Mr Bulger, who was divorced from James's mother two years after the murder, said officials had called at his home in Merseyside hours earlier to break the news about Venables. 'Without a doubt he is back where he belongs but he should never have been let out in the first place,' he said. 'I always said that the judges and politicians who let James's killers go free had his blood on their hands because they just didn't care enough about the precious life of my little boy. 'Our legal system danced on the grave of my innocent son without a hint of shame or compassion by letting these murderers go free. Now their actions have come back to haunt them.' In memory: James Bulger's grave in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool Few details are known about Venables since his release but he is believed to have been involved in several aggression-related incidents. In 2007 unconfirmed reports suggested Venables was to marry a pretty office worker he started dating two years earlier. He was then taken to hospital for emergency surgery after violence flared in the street when a man tried to chat up his girlfriend. In 2003, both Venables and Thompson were believed to have been treated to a holiday at taxpayers' expense to keep them safe on the tenth anniversary of the toddler's horrific death. But Venables's attitude was so bad that frustrated police minders threw him across the bonnet of a car - and threatened to leave him chained to a lamp-post in Liverpool to teach him a lesson. The row over the public's right to know why Venables has returned to prison was stoked by confusion and farce at Whitehall yesterday. In an early-morning television appearance, the Home Secretary said more details would be released. Mr Johnson told Sky News: 'I believe the public do have a right to know and I believe they will know all the facts in due course. But I must in no way prejudice the future criminal justice proceedings.' The last remark appeared to break the Government's code of silence by implying that Venables faced a possible court case. Mr Straw was then sent out to try to clear up the mess. He said: 'I'm sorry that I cannot give more information at this stage on the nature of the alleged breach. 'I know there's an intense public interest in why he has been recalled. 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.' In a later TV appearance, Mr Straw appeared to hint that Venables had committed a criminal offence. Image of horror: CCTV footage of James being led away to his death He said: 'There was information that suggested conclusively that there had been a breach of Jon Venables' licence conditions. As a result of this the appropriate and timely action was taken. 'Breach covers quite a wide range of possibilities but you don't get taken into prison for a breach of your licence conditions unless you have done something inappropriate or wrong.' Tory backbencher Douglas Carswell warned that failure to keep the public informed would lead to 'mob rule'. He said: 'How can people have confidence in the criminal justice system? Venables will face a hearing of the Parole Board within 28 days of being recalled, where the details of the breach will be examined. These hearings are normally not open to the public. He is being represented by London-based-human rights solicitors Bhatt Murphy - who declined to return calls yesterday. Last year only 79 prisoners on life licence out of a possible 1,400 in the community were recalled to prison. A senior probation source told the Mail: 'You don't recall a prisoner after 16 years of very expensive rehabilitation unless it is something serious.' The source said that the chances of Venables 'remaining undetected' whilst in prison were 'very small'. 'Hitherto there were only a handful of people involved in his care: a probation officer, a senior probation officer, a police officer and someone at the Ministry of Justice. 'Now he is in the prison service the likelihood of him becoming compromised has increased significantly. He will almost certainly need a new identity when he is released.' Eight years of pampering, then a new life By MICHAEL SEAMARK At the time, the decision by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson to remain voluntarily in secure children's units for an extra six months after their release order was interpreted as a fear of freedom. But given what they were leaving behind, who would blame them for their reluctance to leave? During their eight years of detention, they lived a life of comfort and expensive rehabilitation, cookery lessons and trips to watch Manchester United. Coming from broken homes and dysfunctional families, they enjoyed an education far better than most of their contemporaries. Many, not least James's family, were furious that Venables and Thompson were freed without ever spending a day in an adult prison for the shocking murder. Draconian legal injunctions giving them anonymity for life were put in place when the pair were released in 2001. THE £5.5M BILL The Bulger case is already estimated to have cost the taxpayer £5.5million. Here is the breakdown: Police investigation: £500,000 Murder trial (prosecution and defence costs): £1million Time killers spent in custody in secure units: £2.5million Setting up and maintaining new identities for Venables, Thompson and families: £1.5million Each was given a new identity, backed up passport, birth certificate, National Insurance documents and NHS records. Bank accounts and credit cards were set up under their new names. They were coached in their cover stories and given elocution lessons to lose their Liverpool accents. Years of preparation had gone into the boys' release, with personal tutors mentoring Venables during his stay at Red Banks Children's Home, a former approved school at Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, only 13 miles from the Bulger family home at Kirkby. Thompson was nine miles further towards Manchester, at Barton Moss, near Eccles. While serving his sentence, he began letters to friends: 'It's Bobby here, live from the five-star Hotel Barton Moss.' He had his own room - with TV and PlayStation - in the modern, 20-bed complex, with the use of a garden, gym, games room and computer room. Thompson, who developed an interest in textiles and design, won praise for a beaded wedding dress he made, as well as a tapestry of a lion's head which hung in the foyer. He passed five GCSEs and took A-levels, was taken on supervised days out to shopping centres, the Lake District and the theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon to get him used to the public. For Venables, life at Red Bank - once home to child killer Mary Bell - was even cushier. His regime included a bigger and better room than other inmates - decorated with Manchester United wallpaper and complete with computer, games and a TV. He could ride scramble motorbikes in the school grounds, enjoyed regular family visits and took trips to Wales and a swimming pool in nearby Wigan. Every month £25 was put into his account for clothes, £6 for toiletries and £4 for a haircut. For each birthday he received £30 and for Christmas £40, rising to £60 once he was 16. Before his release he was taken with his father to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United play - ostensibly to get him used to being in large crowds and try to reduce his fear of being recognised and attacked. Since their release, the legal injunctions mean the public know little about the lifestyles of either Venables or Thompson. When not working, both are entitled to benefits to ensure neither drifts back into crime. Both see probation officers at least four times a year and officers are on call 24 hours a day in case either needs help or advice. In 2003, both were reportedly treated to a holiday at taxpayers' expense to keep them safe on the tenth anniversary of the toddler's horrific death. But Venables's attitude was so bad that frustrated police minders threw him across the bonnet of a car - and threatened to leave him chained to a lamp-post in Liverpool to teach him a lesson. In 2005 there were reports that Thompson was addicted to heroin and was being prescribed the substitute methadone to wean him off his habit. The following year, the Daily Mail revealed that he was gay and had been given permission by his probation service 'minders' to live with his homosexual lover, who was aware of his past. In 2007 unconfirmed reports suggested Venables was to marry a pretty office worker he started dating two years earlier. He was taken to hospital for emergency surgery after violence flared in the street when a man tried to chat up his girlfriend. In another, unprovoked attack, he was seriously injured and reportedly went to a hospital on Merseyside for treatment - although he is banned from returning to the scene of his crime without permission. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1255274/James-Bulger-killer-Jon-Venables-sent-jail-drugs-workplace-brawl.html#ixzz28DGSylKW Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook