James Bulger killer Jon Venables now - 'abuse manual and plans for his future'
On this day 31 years ago, innocent toddler James Bulger was abducted and killed by two 10-year-old boys.
It was two fellow children - Jon Venables and Robert Thompson - who decided to end the two-year-old's life in the most abhorrent of ways. The schoolfriends became the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years after the callous killing on February 12, 1993.
They snatched James from a busy shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, before brutally killing him and leaving his body by a railway line. Their sickening crimes horrified the nation, with James' murder described during the trial by the judge as an act of "unparalleled evil and barbarity."
Venables and Thompson were locked up for eight years. Both were released in 2001 and given new identities, however Venables has been in and out of prison for possessing indecent images of children. He currently remains behind bars after his parole bid was rejected last month.
The murderer, now 41, allegedly "went mad, shouting and screaming" at the decision to deny him freedom. The parole board ruled that Venables remains a danger to children and could not be trusted back on the streets. The killer was given a deadline to challenge the move, but is believed to have been told by lawyers it was a "fruitless exercise".
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It comes after his last parole hearing in 2020, in which he was also deemed "unsafe". Here, we take a look at what happened to Jon Venables after he was found guilty of murdering James Bulger.
Prison release
Venables was held at the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside, which was not revealed until after he had been released. While inside, Venables received education and rehabilitation while being taught how to conceal his real name and horrifying crime.
He was visited regularly by his parents and was kept at Red Bank for the full eight years because of good progress, despite the facility only being a short-stay remand unit. The killer walked free in June 2001 with unprecedented lifelong anonymity after a parole board ruled he was no longer a threat to public safety.
Venables was given a new identity with a new passport, qualification certificates and medical records. He was not allowed to contact Thompson, who was also released at the same time with a new identity, or the Bulger family and he could not visit the Merseyside region.
A police handout photo of Robert Thompson from 1993 (PA)
Venables (pictured as a child) was sent to prison over possession of child abuse imagery (SWNS)Explaining why a worldwide injunction preventing details about Venables and Thompson was imposed, then Home Secretary David Blunkett said: "The injunction was granted because there was a real and strong possibility that their lives would be at risk if their identities became known."
Once free, Venables spent most of his leisure time playing video games, and his probation officer met a number of girlfriends over the years. In September 2008 he was arrested on suspicion of affray after a drunken brawl outside a nightclub and was given a formal warning by the probation service.
Venables claimed he was acting in self-defence and the charges were dropped after he agreed to go on an alcohol-awareness course. Three months later he was given a caution for possession of cocaine after he was found with a small amount of the class A drug.
Child abuse images horror
James Bulger, two, was abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside (PA)Venables was caged once again in 2010 after being found with a hoard of horrifying child abuse images on his laptop. When officers arrived at his flat, Venables was attempting to remove or destroy the hard drive of his computer with a knife and tin opener.
The computer was taken away and 57 indecent images of children over a 12-month period were found. In July 2010, Venables appeared at the Old Bailey via video link which was only visible to the judge.
He pleaded guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child sex images and was given a sentence of two years in prison. Venables was given another new identity after a "serious security breach" - which could not be reported for legal reasons.
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In September 2013, Venables was released from prison after a parole board approved the move two months before. However, Venables was recalled to prison in November 2017 when he was caught with the sickening child abuse images once again.
The images included category A photos, the most serious type, and he also admitted to having a “paedophile manual”. During his hearing, the court heard that upon his arrest he told cops in the police car: "This is my own fault. I have let people down again.
"I have had urges, inquisitive. It won't be a slap on the wrist for me.” Venables, who appeared via a video link that only the judge could see, pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children for a second time and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Sentencing him to 40 months in jail in 2018, Mr Justice Edis said: “The children depicted were often very young and vulnerable, there is discernible pain and distress suffered.”
James Bulger's dad's bid
Ralph Bulger is the father of murdered James (ITV)James Bulger's grieving father Ralph lost a High Court bid to have information about Venables made public in March 2019. Ralph and James's uncle Jimmy had launched a bid to have Venables' anonymity removed, arguing certain details about him were "common knowledge" and easily accessible online.
The case was rejected by Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane, who argued the convict could be killed if his new identity was revealed. Speaking at the time, he said: "(Venables) is 'uniquely notorious' and there is a strong possibility, if not a probability, that if his identity were known he would be pursued resulting in grave and possibly fatal consequences.
"This is, therefore, a wholly exceptional case and the evidence in 2019 is more than sufficient to sustain the conclusion that there continues to be a real risk of very substantial harm to (Venables)." Outside court, solicitor advocate for the Bulgers, Robin Makin, said: "The authorities seem to be hell-bent on protecting JV regardless of the risk to others and this has been a primary driving force behind Ralph and Jimmy’s application."
Official figures showed that Venables' attempt to keep his identity secret cost taxpayers more than £65,000. Lawyers working for him were paid £8,100 in legal aid, with government lawyers working on the case costing an additional £57,300.
New life abroad
In June 2019, it was reported Venables was being assessed for a permanent move to Canada. It was suggested authorities believed paying for James Bulger's killer to go to a country like Canada, Australia or New Zealand would be cheaper than funding more failed new starts in the UK.
A source said: “He’s been relocated all over the country a large number of times costing a fortune. A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run.”
The UK's Ministry of Justice repeatedly declined to comment on claims. However, then-New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern issued a short and sharp response to reports Venables could apply to relocate to the country.
"Don't bother," was Jacinda Ardern's message to the child murderer when a local news conference touched on the reports British officials were looking to potentially relocate him to New Zealand. New Zealand's immigration department had not received any applications from Venables, she told media. "Of course, because of his existing convictions he would need an exemption... my advice would be 'don't bother applying'."
'Obsessed with porn and violence'
In October 2020, a parole report warned that Venables has an "attraction to sexual violence" and "thinks about sex a lot". An official Parole Board summary explained why Venables, who was said to use "sex and pornography as a means of coping", was not deemed safe to be released from jail.
The report noted he had displayed "positive behaviour" since being locked up, but felt a "lack of fulfilment in life" and had a "need for excitement". The report, which explained why he was denied parole, stated Venables has landed a job in jail while living a top secret life with a new identity among other cons.
A three-page document also noted Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. Despite “positive” behaviour and landing a job in jail, Parole officials ruled Venables was still not safe to be released.
Officials wrote: "The panel listed as risk factors those influences that made it more likely that Mr Venables would reoffend in the future. The risk factors identified at the time of his offending included his sexual interests and an attraction to sexual violence as well as other issues considered relevant but amenable to change.
"Risk factors identified in subsequent reviews include thinking about sex a lot, problems in maintaining relationships, concerns about self-awareness, and his ability to deal with stress. Mr Venables had also experienced difficulties relating to employment.
"Features leading up to his offending as an adult included a sense of dissatisfaction and lack of fulfilment in life, a need for excitement, and a tendency to turn to sex or pornography as a means of coping." The report said Venables was “benefitting from ongoing psychological work” in prison and had taken part in programmes to “address decision making, better ways of thinking and a propensity for sexual offending.”
It was also noted that Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. Officials said: "Mr Venables indicated, through his legal representative, that he was benefiting from ongoing psychological work and did not ask the panel to direct his release or recommend a transfer to open conditions at this stage."
Possible future release
A video still of James Bulger being led away in 1993 (PA)Addressing a potential future release, the report described how his chances of reoffending were he to be released from jail could be cut by certain "protective factors". These include his "level of intelligence, making constructive use of his time, a capacity and motivation for self-reflection, and a supportive social network in the community".
The report stated: "Mr Venables was engaging positively in intensive interventions and these were likely to continue for several months, requiring a period of consolidation on completion." But the report made clear the parole board was "not satisfied" Venables was "suitable" for release from prison.
The report concluded: “After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made whilst in custody and on licence, as well as the other evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Venables was suitable for re-release.
“Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Venables should be transferred to open prison. Given that key areas of risk remained subject to continuing interventions, the panel considered that Mr Venables was appropriately located in custody where outstanding levels of risk could be addressed.
“As required by law, he will be eligible for another parole review in due course.” The parole experts cited there would need to be several “very strict limitations” on Venables and his “contacts, movements and activities” would need to be limited.
James Bulger's mum's plea
Denise Fergus said she would crumble if her son's killer is released (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)Ahead of the latest parole hearing for Jon Venables, James Bulger's mum Denise Fergus pleaded with parole board chiefs to reject his bid for freedom, saying: "He’s a monster." The 54-year-old continued: "Tuesday is one of the biggest days ever in our fight for justice for James. It feels like D-Day.
"I’m anxious and it’s been hard not to think of much else because the importance of this week is so great. Our fate is in the hands of parole board bosses, so I beg them to make the right decision for everyone and keep my son’s killer behind bars.
"Venables has had so many chances in the past and he’s blown them all. He doesn’t care. He seriously doesn’t care about anybody." In a direct message to the parole board, she said: "Look into my eyes and see what I’ve had to deal with for 30 years – three decades of hell. Keep people safe from this monster, because that is what he is, and don’t give him what he wants.
"If he goes on to commit more crimes after you release him, it will be on your shoulders. So, I’m just asking you to do the right thing." She predicted a national outcry if Venables was to be freed. Denise added: "If they do release him I dread to think what will happen. I’ll probably initially crumble and then I’ll be on the warpath. There would be national outcry. But I have to have confidence that the parole board won’t let that happen."
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