The kid killers were condemned to an adolescent detainment office, where they resided until their parole in 2001 at 18 years old. Ralph expressed concern that Jon would reoffend if released from prison with a new identity. Other searches were conducted elsewhere, all leading to nothing. After momentarily becoming distracted, Bulger's mother noticed that he was nowhere to be seen. She phoned the police and expressed regret for not doing something. On February 12, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables abducted a 2-year-old boy named James Bulger from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, England. During his hearing, the court heard that upon his arrest he told cops in the police car: "This is my own fault. Venables was caged once again in 2010 after being found with a hoard of horrifying child abuse images on his laptop. But by 4:15 p.m., there was no sign of the boy and so he was quickly reported missing to the police. Though many people on the streets believed that the three boys were siblings, others were concerned about Thompson and Venables aggressive behavior toward Bulger. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The boys ended up at the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle (near Liverpool) on the afternoon of February 12 after having skipped school that day. Eventually, Venables and Thompson placed Bulgers dead body (a forensic pathologist later concluded that he was dead at this point) across the train tracks, in hopes of making the whole thing look like an accident, and abandoned the scene before a train came along and severed the toddler in two. Jon Venables was just 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson abducted and murdered James Bulger alongside - and now he is back behind bars after being caught with horrific child abuse images. Hes gonna be all right, Denise, I said. Clickhereto upload yours. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest convicted murderers in British history. She was also accused of being a loose woman who was often seen with several different men. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? But most did nothing and those that stopped and questioned the James Bulger killers soon enough let them go on their way to ultimately murder the toddler. In one of the most chilling photos in recent times, Venables was captured holding the 2-year-old James Bulger as Robert walked ahead of the pair. Due to the national furor surrounding their case, they were both given new identities. While inside, Venables received education and rehabilitation while being taught how to conceal his real name and horrifying crime. "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). ONE of James Bulger's killers says he has had a better life as a result of murdering the toddler. He could now be kept in prison for the rest of his life ifthe board decides he poses too much of a risk to ever be freed again. Upon their release, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were given new identities and granted legal anonymity for life due to the public fury that surrounded their trial and the danger of citizens hunting down the infamous James Bulger killers in order to take vengeance. Despite this evidence, however, Venables and Thompson werent initially the authorities prime suspects. The source said: Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell reoffend. The ex-convict has kept his bargain of the clause of his release. Some witnesses later remembered seeing Bulger laughing while others remembered seeing him resisting and even screaming for his mother. Venables has now been caged for 40 months foradmitting having a paedo manual explaining "how to have sex with little girls" as well as over 1,000 vile child abuse images. Officials wrote: "The panel listed as risk factors those influences that made it more likely that Mr Venables would reoffend in the future. The report revealed that Jon had a new identity, a job in jail, and was a model prisoner. One of the investigators who talked to Thompson described him as street smart and clever.I dont know how he was doing at school, but he was switched on and he was trying to con me, trying very hard,the investigator said on Channel 5sLost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger. To those who arent familiar, the scene looks harmless enough: Two boys leading a toddler, one holding his hand as they make their way through a normal shopping mall in Bootle, England. Its just a big knot in your chest and thats been there since day one.. So the authorities secretly visited Robert Thompson who lived in Walton, not far from the murder scene with his mother and 2 younger brothers. That was the biggest mistake of my life. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. In 2008, Jon Venables was given a formal warning for a drunken fight & was also arrested for a cocaine offence. The child killer was released from a. PA Images via Getty ImagesA policeman stands guard at the entrance of the site where the body of James Bulger was found on a railway embankment in Liverpool. James Bulger's father calls for Jon Venables's anonymity to be lifted, A police handout photo of Robert Thompson from 1993, James Bulger, two, was abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, Ralph Bulger is the father of murdered James, Venables (pictured as a child) was sent to prison over possession of child abuse imagery, A video still of James Bulger being led away in 1993, John Venables, pictured after his arrest in February 1993. Not long after the elderly woman sent the boys on their way, Bulger was almost rescued yet again. And if they hadnt been caught I fear they would have struck again. Jon Venables was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, not far from half the amount of time he served for joining Robert Thompson in perpetrating the murder of James Bulger a quarter-century before. While the abduction of James Bulger was caught on camera, police had few leads for potential suspects. Thompson and Venables were only 10 years old at the time of the murder, making them the youngest convicted killers in Britain. However, the psychiatrists were not able to find a motive for this horrific crime. His body had been severed in two by a train. Despite positive behaviour and landing a job in jail, Parole officials ruled Venables was still not safe to be released. However, Venables was recalled to prison in November 2017 when he was caught with the sickening child abuse images once again. He was jailed for two years. When Bulgers father, Ralph, saw that it was just two boys with whom his son had left the mall, he was relieved: I looked at Denise and smiled with relief. But they werent. It wont be a slap on the wrist for me.. And still he followed. Not only did they find blue paint on Venables jacket, but they also found blood on Thompsons shoes. But as they scanned the lists of children who had been absent that day from local schools, they soon received an anonymous phone call that blamed Venables and Thompson for the crime. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. Venables himself begged not to be released as he fears he will reoffend, a report in November last year stated. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Ten-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. The tot was kidnapped, tortured, and sexually abused by the two ten-year-olds. At the canal, they dropped Bulger on his head and left him on the ground crying. After a three-week trial, the jury took only five hours to render a guilty verdict for the boys. He was sent back to prison with a new identity as hed divulged who he was to staff and inmates. In Channel 5's two-part documentary Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger, one of the investigators who questioned Thompson said the young boy was "street smart" and "clever," and said the ten-year-old was "trying very, very hard to con me.". New Zealands Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, stated that the UK shouldnt bother applying for Jons residency in her country. Thompson has been revealed to be in a relationship with a man who is said to know his true identity. The murder captivated the nation as people wondered what would motivate two 10-year-olds to abduct and murder a defenseless toddler. While there, he reportedly told his fellow inmates that he was a car thief. "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. All about his family, Was Dave Hollis Sick? On November 24, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were found guilty of the abduction and murder of James Bulger, making them the youngest convicted killers in modern British history. She called out to them once more as they walked away but they did not look back. Many of them would later express regret for not doing anything. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables The public was already outraged as the police were still not able to catch the killers. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (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. The stolen tin of blue paint was found nearby. On 24 November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were found guilty of the murder of James Bulger, becoming the youngest convicted murderers in the 20th century. Mere luck had saved the boy and sealed James Bulgers terrible fate. Was Abraham Lincoln Our First Gay President? But the President of the Family Division Sir Andrew McFarlane rejected the bid, saying it was in place to protect Venables from being "put to death". I shouldnt have let go of his hand, Fergus later said. The twisted child killer, now aged 39, took the youngster from a shopping centre along with friend Robert Thompson, before the baby's dead body by a railway track. Youve got enormous burdens to carry around.. James Patrick Bulger (16 March 1990 - 12 February 1993) was a two-year-old boy from Kirkby, Merseyside, England, who was abducted, tortured, and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson (born 23 August 1982) and Jon Venables (born 13 August 1982), on 12 February 1993. This led to a police investigation of the drive, which yielded dozens of images of abused children. Robert Thompson was released in 2010. In 2017, Venables was caught in possession of thousands of child pornography images and sentenced to a minimum of 40 months in prison. The child killer was released from a young offenders institution under licence in 2001 and has not re-offended since. I believe the only way to prevent him from killing another baby like James is to keep him locked up for life, Ralph Bulger said in response to the parole boards decision. She had thought that her son was by her side as she was placing her order at the butcher shop. Rape survivor slams Gabby Petito Utah cop over handling of her case, 'Dark details' about boyfriend of US swim champ who mysteriously died, Disturbing red flags of Lindsay Clancy's psychosis before she 'killed 3 kids', Mysterious powder swamps US skies as residents report dust-covered cars, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Jon Venables was ten years old when he was arrested for the torture and murder of two-year-old James Bulger, Chilling CCTV shows the moment James was led away from his parents, Venables was jailed for two years in 2010 after he admitted downloading and distributing indecent images of children, James Bulger killer Jon Venables charged over indecent images of children. It added that Jon had stated that hed benefited from psychological work in prison and didnt ask the panel for release. 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. But Denise Fergus, James's mum, does not support the proceedings and said her son's killer should keep his anonymity to avoid vigilante justice. "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. James Bulger's grieving father Ralph lost a High Court bid to have information about Venables made public. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? They were a match made in hell. Just a couple of days later, Bulger was found on the same railway track where his killers had left him. RM2D3M2P8 - The grave of murdered toddler James Bulger in Kirkdale cemetery, Liverpool, June 22, 2001. The twisted child killer, now aged 39, took the youngster from a shopping centre along with friend Robert Thompson, before the baby's dead body by a railway track. When Venables saw the mother, they told the boy to go back to her and they vanished. The older boys then meandered around Liverpool past shops, buildings, and parking lots. She turned to drink and fell into depression, as well as allegedly trying to take her own life with an overdose. James Bulgers father Ralph said he could rest easy as one of his sons killers was refused parole, but feared he would re-offend if he was ever released. A judge sentenced the pair to detention which ended when the pair hit eighteen. Denise Fergus and her then-husband Ralph Bulger were worried sick. Another investigator said Thompson "would cry whenever there would be an awkward situation," to avoid questioning. Popular disgust only intensified when witnesses and the media noted Thompsons cold, seemingly remorseless behavior at trial (compared with Venables hysterical outbursts). But when Venables was recalled to jail in 2010, it emerged Thompson had done well at Barton Moss secure unit, in Eccles, Lancs, showing a growing interest and talent in art. From 1993 to 2001, Venables served time in the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside. Now 38, It is believed that he is still. Where is Robert Thompson now? The police then visited both childrens homes and discovered blood on Thompsons shoes and blue paint on Venables jacket. On March 4, 2019, it was announced Thompson's accomplice Jon Venables is to keep his anonymity after a judge ruled it would protect him from "serious violence". As for Venables, he has been thrown in prison again on multiple occasions, most notably for possession of child pornography and a pedophile manual, which described how to abuse young girls in sickening detail. At first, Thompson denied everything. Despite the fuzzy footage, it was two small boys that could be seen leading James Bulger (identified from the description of his clothing provided by his mother) to the exit. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Nine months later, the trial began. His father had abandoned the family early on, causing his depressed mother to turn to alcohol and even attempt suicide. One person even saw Thompson kick Bulger in the ribs for resisting. ROBERT Thompson abducted and tortured to death two-year-old James Bulger alongside his partner in crime Jon Venables when they were just ten years old. PA Images/Getty ImagesThe Liverpool railway embankment where James Bulgers body was found. So, when the eight years were up in 2001, both boys were released. In 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables abducted, tortured and murdered the toddler after leading him away from a shopping centre in . June 24, 2011. Before long, an anonymous caller reported to the police that Thompson and Venables were behind the murder, revealing that both boys had been absent from school on the day of Bulgers disappearance and that there may have been some criminal evidence on Venables jacket. DetectivePhil Roberts was on Merseysides serious crime squad when he got a call at 6am on February 13, 1993, about a two-year-old boy who had gone missing from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle. Not only had both boys been truant that day, but Venables had also been seen with blue paint on his jacket (the same color that had been used to blind Bulger during his torture). "To let him out could be another death sentence for an innocent child like James. He is an arch manipulator and knows how to play the authorities. "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. February 17, 2022 0 In the wake of baiting the baby away from a retail plaza in Bootle, Merseyside, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables seized, tortured, and killed him in 1993. Meanwhile, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables led the toddler far away from the mall and toward another town. In 2006, reports claimed Thompson was in a stable gay relationship at age 23 and had settled well into his local community in the North West. The caller told the police that Venables and Thompson were both absent from school on Friday and that they themselves had seen blue paint on the sleeve of Venables jacket. Security cameras caught the three children walking outside at 3:42 p.m. By that point, Fergus had already alerted mall security, who made several announcements to shoppers about the missing child. In June 2019, it was reported Venables was being assessed for a permanent move to Canada. In 2010, he was imprisoned for downloading images depicting various kinds of sexual abuse being inflicted upon male toddlers. The killer was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, which is. 721 Smith Rd. He claimed that information about him already existed online. Now the tide has turned and finally he is facing real prison time where he should have been from the beginning., *Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger airs tonight on Channel 5 at 9pm and continues at the same time on Thursday, Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". She turned to drink and fell into depression, as well as allegedly trying to take her own life with an overdose. Apparently satisfied with their explanation, the woman simply told the two boys to take the toddler down to the nearby Walton Lane Police Station. The case was rejected by Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane, who argued the convict could be killed if his new identity was revealed. 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