The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger is preparing to hear the voice of one of his killers for the first time in three decades, after a parole hearing was granted.
A Mother's Renewed Trauma
Denise Fergus, who lost her two-year-old son in 1993, has been informed that Jon Venables will have his case reviewed by the Parole Board in an oral hearing. A spokeswoman for Ms Fergus, Kym Morris, stated that the decision has plunged her into a state of "uncertainty and distress", reopening "unimaginable trauma". Ms Fergus had hoped the hearing would not be granted, a move which would have offered her a measure of peace.
For the first time ever, Ms Fergus has been granted unprecedented access to observe the crucial hearing. She will be able to see the proceedings, though Venables' face will be obscured to protect his identity. Critically, she will hear him speak, something she has not done since the murder trial in 1993, when Venables was a ten-year-old child. Her victim impact statement is expected to be read to the board.
A History of Violence and Reoffending
James Bulger was abducted from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle in February 1993 by Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged ten. The pair led the little boy to a railway embankment near Walton Lane police station, where they tortured and murdered him. Following a three-week trial at Preston Crown Court in November 1993, both were convicted and sentenced to detention in a young offenders institution.
Both were released on licence in 2001, after less than eight years in custody. While Thompson, now 43, is not believed to have reoffended, Jon Venables has been recalled to prison twice. He was returned to custody in 2010 and again in 2017 after being found in possession of indecent images of children.
In February 2018, Venables admitted at the Old Bailey to possessing videos showing the abuse of male toddlers and a so-called "paedophile manual". Mr Justice Edis, sentencing him to 40 months in prison, noted the manual suggested Venables was "at least contemplating the possibility of moving on to actual sexual crime against children".
Parole Board's Previous Concerns
The decision to grant an oral hearing follows a review of written submissions from prison staff, psychiatrists, and impact statements from James Bulger's family. This comes after Venables' last parole appeal in December 2023, which he failed to attend despite arguing it should be held in private to avoid seeing James's family.
After two weeks of deliberation in 2023, a Parole Board panel ruled that Venables remained "a danger to children" and "could not be trusted". A summary of their decision stated the panel was not satisfied that his release would be safe for public protection. It highlighted concerns over "continuing issues of sexual preoccupation" and doubts about his ability to be honest with professionals.
The forthcoming hearing will once again assess whether Jon Venables poses an ongoing risk to the public, forcing Denise Fergus to endure another agonising chapter in her three-decade fight for justice for her son, James.
