He was recalled to a maximum security prison in November over the offences.

He will be tried in a private court at an undisclosed location, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Venables, now 35, was ten years old when he and Robert Thompson tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993.

He served eight years in prison, and changed his identity after being released.

A CPS spokesman said: “The man formerly known as Jon Venables has been charged with offences relating to indecent images of children.

“In order that justice can be done, no further details are being released at this stage and the proceedings are subject to reporting restrictions.”

When news of his latest arrest emerged, James's mother Denise Fergus said: "Venables has now proved beyond any doubt what a vile, perverted psychopath he has always been."

It is the second time he has been recalled to prison over child abuse images.

In 2010, Venables was sent back to jail for two years after pleading guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child pornography.

In September 2008, he was arrested on suspicion of affray after a drunken brawl and was given a formal warning by the probation service for breaching the good behaviour terms of his licence.

Later the same year he was cautioned for possession of cocaine after he was found with a small amount of the class A drug.