Man held over James Bulger grave vandalism bailed

A man arrested after the grave of murdered Merseyside toddler James Bulger was vandalised has been released on conditional bail, police have said.

The 78-year-old from Kirby was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and theft on Friday.

Two-year-old James was lured away from his mother in February 1993 at a Bootle shopping centre by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson - then both aged 10 - who tortured and killed him.

His gravestone at Kirkdale Cemetery has been vandalised twice within six weeks, with the heads of two cherub statues being smashed on both occasions.

Who was James Bulger and what happened to his killers?

The grave was first damaged in February.

Speaking after the first instance, James' mother described her "heartbreak".

More than £23,000 was later raised to repair the grave following an appeal and the family said they were "touched" by the public's generosity.

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