Killer's Parole Hearing Stance Revealed
Jon Venables, one of the convicted killers of two-year-old James Bulger, is reportedly refusing to attend his upcoming parole hearing if the murdered child's family members are present. Sources claim the notorious criminal is too frightened to face James Bulger's parents, Denise Fergus and Ralph Bulger, who have won the right to attend the proceedings and deliver impact statements.
A History of Violent Crime and Reoffending
The case dates back to 1993 in Merseyside, when Venables and his accomplice Robert Thompson, both aged just 10, abducted two-year-old James Bulger from the Bootle Strand Centre. Security footage captured the chilling moment the pair led the toddler away. Two days later, James's body was discovered on a railway line after suffering extensive torture.
Venables was initially released from youth detention in 2001 after serving eight years, but his freedom proved short-lived. He was recalled to prison in 2010 after being found in possession of indecent images of children. Following another release in 2013, Venables was imprisoned again in 2017 for similar offences involving disturbing imagery.
Previous Parole Attempts and Current Situation
This is not Venables's first attempt at securing parole. His applications were previously denied in 2020 and December 2023, with officials ruling he remained a risk to the public and had not been truthful with probation officers. Although he served a 40-month sentence for his most recent offences, authorities have consistently deemed him unsuitable for release.
In contrast, Robert Thompson, Venables's accomplice in the 1993 murder, has not reoffended since his 2001 release. A source suggested that Venables's refusal to attend the hearing alongside James Bulger's family could significantly damage his chances of being freed, potentially keeping the manipulative coward behind bars where he belongs.
