Bulger killer 'will never be honoured'
The director of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award for Young People, has insisted that one of toddler James Bulger's killers would never be honoured by the organisation.
A report in the Sun newspaper claims that Robert Thompson has been nominated for the award set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Officials at the secure unit where Thompson is being held have put the 18-year-old forward for an award for outstanding achievement, the newspaper said.
But awards director Lindsay Mackie today said: "Someone from a secure unit did contact us a few months ago about a group of their pupils but Thompson was never mentioned.
"There is no question of an award being given to a murderer.
"We are looking at extending the award to encourage certain other categories, possibly into the youth service, or children's homes, as it is done through secondary schools at present, but obviously an award to someone such as Thompson would be completely inappropriate."
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Employment said: "This is not the purpose of these awards."
