19 November 2023 , 09:53
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Depraved toddler killer Jon Venables failed to show up at his own parole hearing to see if he should be released, in a bid to protect his mental health.
Venables who snatched little James Bulger from a shopping centre in Bootle on Merseyside in 1993 was due before the parole board this week. But it has been claimed Venables skipped the hearing to avoid hearing the victim impact statement from James' parents.
During the hearing he would have also been told the Justice Secretary Alex Chalk opposed his release from prison too. A source told the Sun: “It was made private to protect him and he does this. "It means it wouldn’t have made any difference if the hearing had been public. It makes a mockery of it all. He’s been a coward to the end. He probably didn’t want to hear the impact statements so took the easy option.”
James Bulger was just two years old when he was abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool, on 12 February 1993. His body was found on a railway line two days later. His killers were Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both aged 10 at the time.
The pair were both given lifelong anonymity.
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James was just two when he was killed (Press Association)
Denise Fergus, James' mum (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)Denise Fergus spoke after it was revealed Venables' legal team feared an open session would cause him “emotional stress”. Venables is serving time for having indecent images of children and has twice been returned to jail for breaching conditions.
He was turned down for parole in September 2020 but has since made a new bid for freedom and is due to face a parole panel next month. Denise had hope that would be in public, but his lawyers successfully argued for secret hearing, which was confirmed on Wednesday.
A spokeswoman for the 55-year-old said: “Although we are not surprised, Denise is obviously disappointed by this decision, especially considering the fact that Venables has gone on to commit further offences since his first release.
A CCTV still of James being lead away (Press Association)It is crucial to recognise that his previous actions have demonstrated he is not rehabilitated and therefore as Denise has always said, he poses a great risk to the public and has a clear disregard for the safety of others. All we can do now is pray that the parole board refuses his release and Denise can finally get justice for James.”
Venables was recalled to prison in February 2010 over the indecent child images. He was released in August 2013 and called back in November 2017 for the same offence. His legal team believe the emotional stress of a public parole hearing “would be disproportionate” and “create a risk” for him.
The lawyers also said it “might impact on his ability to participate and could impact on his long term health”. Parole Board for England and Wales chair Caroline Corby revealed the panel must respect a long-standing legal order that bans the identification of Venables.