James Bulger killer Jon Venables set for further parole hearing

James Bulger killer Jon Venables set for further parole hearing

Jon Venables, the man responsible for the 1993 murder of two-year-old James Bulger, is preparing for another Parole Board hearing as he seeks release once more. Now 43 years old, Venables committed the crime when he was just 10, abducting and killing the toddler in Bootle, Merseyside, along with his accomplice Robert Thompson, who was the same age at the time. This upcoming hearing will mark more than two years since Venables last appealed for freedom.

The Parole Board previously denied Venables’ release in 2023, maintaining that he continued to pose a risk to children and could potentially reoffend. Venables’ history after his initial release in 2001 has been tumultuous; he was recalled to custody in 2010 and again in 2017 following offenses involving indecent images of children discovered on his computer. After his first release on licence, he was paroled in August 2013 but did not remain free for long, illustrating the ongoing concerns about his behaviour.

The family of James Bulger has been notified about the forthcoming parole hearing, which sources indicate may take place soon, although no official date has yet been announced by the Parole Board. James’s mother, Denise Fergus, has been granted permission to attend the hearing, reflecting recent changes in the parole process that allow victims greater involvement. These reforms, introduced nationally in April, aim to increase transparency and public trust in the justice system by permitting victims to observe hearings conducted in private.

Speaking on behalf of Denise Fergus, Kym Morris expressed the emotional toll the process takes on her, emphasizing the renewed trauma it causes. “Once again, Denise Fergus has been forced to confront a process that reopens unimaginable trauma,” Morris said. She added that Fergus had hoped for a resolution that would bring her some peace, but that hope had now been denied, underscoring the ongoing pain endured by the victim’s family throughout Venables’ repeated parole considerations

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