Bulger killer's letters 'are fake'

Venables (L) and Thompson have served the minimum tariff

Letters allegedly written by one of James Bulger's killers are forgeries, according to a lawyer representing Robert Thompson.

Dominic Lloyd said the appearance of hand-written notes and sketches in a national newspaper were "another step in a concerted campaign to vilify" his client" and he warned of the "dangers of relying on dubious documents".

Previous allegations that 18-year-old Thompson had been involved in violent incidents while in a secure unit were dismissed by High Court judges during a recent attempt to block the killer's early release.

The dangers of relying on dubious documents have already been demonstrated

Thompson's lawyer, Dominic Lloyd

But lawyers representing the parents of the murdered toddler say the new evidence must be investigated before Thompson and Jon Venables are considered for parole.

The letters, allegedly written by Thompson, are said to have been sent to a teenage arsonist whom he befriended in a secure unit.

Luxury prison

Leon McEwan, 17, of Manchester, claimed Thompson boasted about his sentence being too lenient and had told him: "You could have killed someone and only got eight."

He is also alleged to have referred to the local authority accommodation as a "five star hotel".

Solicitor Sean Sexton, representing James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus said he believed the letters to be genuine.

Ralph Bulger wants to be involved in the Parole Board process

Liverpool lawyer Robin Makin, who represents James' father Ralph, said he was waiting to see copies of the letters extracts of which were published in The Sun newspaper.

"There is concern as to the safety of the rehabilitation of Thompson," he said.

"My concern is to get on with the real issues. The public clamour has not been of ultimate benefit for the Bulger family."

But Thompson's lawyer, Mr Lloyd, said there was a "huge question mark" hanging over the authenticity of the letters, which he did not believe were written by his client.

Summer release

"The dangers of relying on dubious documents have already been demonstrated in the High Court last week. As a result the Director of Public Prosecutions is now investigating the matter," he said.

Thompson and Venables were detained indefinitely for the murder of two-year-old James following a trial at Preston Crown Court in November 1993.

In October last year Lord Woolf paved the way for the early release of the teenagers after ruling that their tariff - the minimum sentence they must serve - should effectively be ended.

If the Parole Board believes Thompson and Venables, both 18, still pose a threat to the public they are unlikely to be considered for release, having served eight years.

If not, there is growing speculation that the killers could be released by the summer.