A Thanet teenager has appeared in court accused of "trolling" the mother of tragic murder victim Jamie Bulger.

The two-year-old was tortured and killed by two children in Liverpool in February 1993.

Now Chloe Rebecca Cowan – who was born two years after his death – is charged with causing alarm and distress to Jamie’s mother Denise Fergus by posting messages on Twitter.

Cowan, of Chichester Road, Ramsgate appeared by CCTV link from Reading Crown Court for a preliminary hearing at Canterbury Crown Court.

She wore a pink, white and blue top and spoke only to confirm her name, to which she replied "I am indeed".

The case has been adjourned until November 9, with a trial date set for February 15.

At that time she will be asked to enter a plea to an offence under Section 4 of the 1997 Protection Of Harassment Act of causing Mrs Fergus “serious alarm” which had “an adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities”.

The offensive Twitter messages are alleged to have been sent between February 1 and May 31 last year, intending Mrs Fergus would read them.

The case is believed to involve the 19-year-old using several Twitter accounts using variations of the name of one of Jamie’s killers, Jon Venables, to abuse Ms Fergus about the death of her child.

Last year detectives on Merseyside started an investigation after complaints from Mrs Fergus and her husband about the messages, which the Crown Prosecution Service will allege were set up to crow to Ms Fergus about her toddler's tragic death.

The prosecution is expected to allege the accounts used the CCTV images of James Bulger being led to his death by Venables and friend Robert Thompson, who were jailed for eight years for sadistically killing the two-year-old when they were 10.

Cowan’s home at the time, Vicarage Place, was later raided by police who took away various items.

The Slough-born teenager – who will be 20 in three days - is now believed to be living with family members away from Thanet.

She was granted unconditional bail.

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