Jack Straw slip-up confirms Venables porn investigation

Jack Straw

Jack Straw has all but confirmed that Jon Venables was recalled for an alleged breach of parole on suspcicion of child pornography offences.

The Justice Secretary Jack Straw appeared to slip-up by prematurely confirming the accuracy of a Sunday Mirror report that Venables was being investigated for viewing peadophile porn.

Interviewed by John Humphrys on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme Mr Straw said he was considering making a further statement on the case.

Mr Straw said: "What I want to do is to look is look at what has already been made public, albeit through the agency of the newspapers - not officially - to look at that and then to make a judgement about whether there is information that, given that it is now out in any event, we could confirm."

John Humphres then interjected: "Forgive me for saying, and I may sound like a third rate lawyer, but you kind of have already confirmed that what is in the newspapers is accurate, because you have said that it is 'out' anyway.

Mr Straw hesitated and said "Let us come to that in due course. But the point I make is that what we can't have is a complete departure, including by the newspapers, from the basic rule of law, where a ministry's press office is expected to respond to questions as part almost of a trial process. That would be quite wrong and inappropriate."

The Justice Department said Mr Straw was planning to make a statement on the case to Parliament later in the day.

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