One of the killers of toddler James Bulger could soon be released from prison, pending the outcome of a crucial parole hearing scheduled for next month.
Jon Venables, who was ten years old when he and Robert Thompson abducted and murdered two-year-old James in 1993, will have his case reviewed. A decision to grant him freedom would represent a devastating new blow for James's family, who have endured decades of trauma.
The 1993 Murder That Shocked the Nation
The horrific crime occurred on February 12, 1993, in Bootle, Merseyside. James's mother, Denise Fergus, had briefly turned away to pay for shopping at a butcher's stall. In that moment, Venables and Thompson led the little boy away.
Haunting CCTV footage showed the two ten-year-olds taking James by the hand to a nearby railway embankment in Walton. There, they subjected him to a sustained and brutal attack, inflicting 42 separate injuries with bricks, stones, and a heavy iron fishplate. After James died from blunt force trauma, they left his small body on the railway tracks.
The pair were convicted of murder and detained until adulthood. They were released on life licence in June 2001, given completely new identities, and barred from contacting each other or returning to Merseyside.
A Spiral Back into Crime and Paedophilia
While Robert Thompson has not reoffended, Jon Venables struggled profoundly with life outside of custody. He found it difficult to hold down jobs, accumulated debts, and began abusing alcohol and drugs including cocaine.
His freedom was short-lived. In early 2010, at age 27, Venables was recalled to prison after police discovered child abuse images on his computer. He was sentenced to two years. Released in 2013, he was arrested again in 2017.
In February 2018, Venables admitted to possessing indecent images and videos of children, as well as a so-called 'paedophile manual'. He was jailed for 40 months, serving a minimum of 20.
His most recent parole bid in December 2023 was rejected after a panel concluded he remained "a danger to children" and "could not be trusted".
Family's Anguish Ahead of New Parole Hearing
Next month, Denise Fergus will be forced to hear her son's killer's voice for the first time in over thirty years, after her application to observe the parole hearing was granted.
Her spokesperson, Kym Morris, stated the process "reopens unimaginable trauma" and has plunged Denise into another period of "uncertainty and distress".
Speaking to the Mirror, Denise Fergus expressed her anger and fear. "It is distressing and frankly makes me angry that I've now been told that James' killer will be afforded a parole hearing and a chance of release," she said.
She urged the Parole Board to remember Venables is no longer a child. "He's bigger, he's stronger, he's got more wits about him. He's been educated to lie to his back teeth," she warned.
Denise also voiced concerns about his safety and stability if released, asking, "What is he going to do to get back inside?" The outcome of next month's hearing will determine if Jon Venables walks free once more.
