THE solicitor for James Bulger’s dad believes putting his son’s killer so close to Merseyside only heaped pressure on him, turning him into a “ticking timebomb”.

For the first time, it can be revealed Jon Venables was living in Cheshire and the now-27-year-old blamed the pressure of “living a lie” for falling into a downward spiral of drink and drugs before child pornography had him hauled back before the courts.

Ralph Bulger, James’ dad, was not at the Old Bailey yesterday to see Venables jailed for two years.

But his solicitor Robin Makin was there on his behalf and believes the authorities have to answer for their actions.

He also said they had hoped Venables would be given an indefinite jail term for public protection (IPP).

Mr Makin said: “No-one has taken into account the danger this man poses. The public was not protected in this case.

“We are upset because no-one considered a sexual element in the original crime, the murder of James, so it could not be brought up here to show past history.