James Bulger's mother thanks supporters

James Bulger was murdered on Merseyside in 1993

The mother of murdered two-year-old James Bulger has thanked people for their support after one of her son's killers was recalled to prison.

Denise Fergus posted the message on her Twitter account.

She said: "I've always said that there are more good people than bad in this world, and the messages I'm still receiving proves it."

Jon Venables, who with Robert Thompson killed James on Merseyside in 1993, is back in prison for a licence breach.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said he believed the public did have a right to know how Venables breached his parole nine years after he was released.

What matters here is that the justice system is allowed to run its course and that justice is done, whatever wrongs are committed Prime Minister Gordon Brown

But Justice Secretary Jack Straw said secrecy was in the public interest.

Today, the Prime Minister sided with Mr Straw, saying that although he understood the public "outrage", the government would not comment on individual cases.

Mr Brown said: "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 added: "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.

Venables was released from custody in 2001 and given a new identity Q and A: Bulger killer's licence

"But I want to be absolutely clear that 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."

James was abducted by Venables and Thompson while at the Strand shopping centre in Bootle.

His battered body was found by children playing on a freight railway line more than two miles from the shopping centre.

The killers were given life sentences, but released in 2001 with new identities and under certain licence conditions.

A court order prevents details being published which could reveal their whereabouts.

Venables will appear before a hearing of the Parole Board which will consider the reason for his recall to prison.

The outcome of such hearings are not usually made public but a spokesman for the Parole Board said it was likely the result would be released because of the high profile nature of the case.