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). Such was the shocking story of two 10-year-old's, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson from England, who killed and mutilated the body of 2-year-old James Bulger.. On that fateful day, the troubled boys were skipping school and wandering around a busy mall, stealing sweets . Both were released under strict conditions in 2001 and given new identities, but Venables kept falling foul of the law and was put behind bars once again for more horrific crimes. But no one did anything. But one bystander provided a glimmer of hope however fleeting for James Bulger. Venables was first imprisoned for possessing images of child abuse in 2010, but he was released in 2013. James Bulgers parents, pictured one day before their child was found dead. I have let people down again. James Bulgers father Ralph Bulger (pictured) is fighting to keep Jon Venables in prison for life. The lawyer, representing Ralph and his brother Jimmy, told a court on May 2 that the original injunction granted to Venables was on the basis that he was rehabilitated and did not re-offend. After murdering Bulger, Thompson and Venables placed his body on the railway track in an attempt to make his death look accidental. AT just ten years old, Jon Venables callously abducted and murdered James Bulger, 2, in 1993 in a case that sent shockwaves through the UK and the rest of the world. The source said: Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell reoffend. 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. 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During their November 1993 trial, the world was equally shocked and outraged that two young boys could have the capacity to viciously murder a toddler. Here is what we know about the child killer and who was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001. The images included category A photos, the most serious type, and he also admitted having a paedophile manual. They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. In rejecting Ralphs petition, Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane argued that releasing Jons information would endanger his life. The child killer was released from a young offenders institution under licence in 2001 and has not re-offended since. 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. At the canal, they dropped Bulger on his head and left him on the ground crying. 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.". By 4:15 PM, however, there was no sign of James Bulger and he was reported missing to the local police station. Some witnesses later reported that the older boys roughed up Bulger in plain sight, kicking, punching, and shaking him. ", 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.. In 2017, Venables was caught in possession of thousands of child pornography images and sentenced to a minimum of 40 months in prison. With some evidence in hand and the knowledge that the James Bulger killers were likely two children, the police checked nearby schools absentee lists for the day of the disappearance. in March 2019. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". Venables and Thompson were tried in an adult courtroom by a jury. A court order that is in place to prevent a person from being identified as Jon Venables or Robert Thompson has been amended, following an application from the Attorney General, Rt Hon. Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Venables should be transferred to open prison. Nevertheless, Venables was released. Peter Byrne/PA Images/Getty ImagesJames Bulgers father Ralph Bulger (pictured) is fighting to keep Jon Venables in prison for life. June 24, 2011. At first, they announced the boys name over the malls loudspeakers. He is a dangerous, predatory child abuser and killer, and I am terrified he will harm another child like my James,Ralph said. Some even saw the older boys punch and kick the two-year-old. He and his second wife Natalie McDermott, welcomed a baby girl in 2014. We pay for your stories! "Mr Venables had also experienced difficulties relating to employment. A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run.. The older boys then meandered around Liverpool past shops, buildings, and parking lots. As the jury foreman read the verdict, Venables and Thompson were sitting in an adult court dock that had been altered so that the boys could see over it. These boys asked who the toddler was and Venables replied that he was Thompsons brother and that they were taking him home. A woman concerned for the toddler told Venables and Thompson that she would take the child to the police station herself. Having a partner thats comfortable with his identity must have helped a lot. Thus it was widely assumed that Thompson was the instigator even though psychiatrists and authorities have never been able to reach a conclusion on the boys motives. She was also accused of being a loose woman who was often seen with several different men. Closed-circuit camera footage revealed that a child fitting Bulger's description was led away from the shopping center by two young boys. 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. After a three-week trial, the jury took only five hours to render a guilty verdict for the boys. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest convicted murderers in British history. "Pure evil, I will never change my mind about that.". Though Thompson tried very hard not to incriminate himself while he was speaking to the interrogators, he failed when he gave a detailed account of what James Bulger had been wearing on the day he was killed. While the abduction of James Bulger was caught on camera, police had few leads for potential suspects. His father had abandoned the family early on, causing his depressed mother to turn to alcohol and even attempt suicide. 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". "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).". Where is Robert Thompson now? The stolen tin of blue paint was found nearby. However, Denise Fergus, James Bulgers mother, concurred with the judges ruling. This led to a police investigation of the drive, which yielded dozens of images of abused children. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Jon Venables poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. He was jailed for two years. "My decision is in no way a reflection on the applicants themselves, for whom there is a profoundest sympathy," he said. Their young age, coupled with the brutality of their crime, shocked the United Kingdom to its core. Malcolm Croft PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images. The reports said that Robert is openly gay and is in a long-term relationship with a partner who knows his real identity. Venables and Thompson abducted James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside before brutally torturing and murdering the tot and left his body by a railway line. The youngster had no record of violence before he was found guilty of killing two-year-old James Bulger. 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. Under current legislation, child suspects are granted automatic anonymity in the youth courts and are routinely granted the same if they appear at crown court aside from exceptional circumstances. Wikimedia Commons James Bulger being kidnapped by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, as seen on CCTV footage. Police dropped the charges against him after he agreed to enroll in an alcohol awareness course. Not long after the elderly woman sent the boys on their way, Bulger was almost rescued yet again. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest convicted murderers in British history. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. Once free, Venables spent most of his leisure time playing video games and his probation office met a number of girlfriends over the years. Both Venables and Thompson were released at age 18 in June 2001. Lifelong anonymity is put in place by courts rarely and is usually in only the most infamous and horrific cases. The older boys Jon Venables and Robert Thompson seem like they could be the brothers of the toddler as some bystanders thought in the mall that day. 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. They then bludgeoned him with bricks and stones, kicked his battered body, and shoved batteries into his mouth. But in November 2017, Jon Venables was again imprisoned when more child abuse images and a pedophile manual that provided instructions on having sex with kids were discovered on his computer. The parents of James Bulger, Denise and Ralph, at a police press conference in Liverpool the day after their son disappeared. chloe johnson peter buck wedding; le mal en elle fin du film They also said that neither boy was a sociopath. PA Images/Getty ImagesThe Liverpool railway embankment where James Bulgers body was found. "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. From 1993 to 2001, Venables served time in the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside. Though authorities initially thought Bulger had been abducted by an adult, CCTV footage revealed the shocking truth that he had been taken by two kids. In 2008, Jon Venables was given a formal warning for a drunken fight & was also arrested for a cocaine offence. Soon after the aborted abduction, Venables and Thompson were loitering around a snack kiosk hoping to steal candy when they noticed James Bulger by the door of a nearby butchers shop. 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. It was a crime that shocked the nation and a story that will never be forgotten. This is one of the saddest and most devastating stories I have ever heard. He was sent back to prison with a new identity as hed divulged who he was to staff and inmates. In January 2018, James Bulger's mum Denise Fergus backed calls for a public inquiry into the toddler's murder. But he found himself back in a maximum category A jail, which we cannot identify for legal reasons,after being caught with vile child abuse images following a top-secret police operation. "But he has duped them once too often and now they have ruled against him. Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years and it was recommended they remained locked up for eight years. He is yet to violate the terms of his release. However, the psychiatrists were not able to find a motive for this horrific crime. His dad abandoned the family five years before Bulger's murder - leaving mum Ann devastated. Though not much is known about his current whereabouts, he is reportedly in a stable relationship with a man who is fully aware of his past. At first glance, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables seemed like two ordinary 10-year-olds. In his confession, Jon stated that it was Roberts idea that they kill Bulger. The panel listed as risk factors those influencers that made it more likely that Mr. Venables would reoffend in the future,the report read. The killer was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, which is the focus of tonight's new Channel 5 documentary Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger. While inside, Venables received education and rehabilitation while being taught how to conceal his real name and horrifying crime. The pair tortured and murdered James, whose body was found by a railway line. Venables was given another new identity after a "serious security breach" which could not be reported for legal reasons. Something went wrong, please try again later. To date, no significant attempts at vengeance have been made. Later that night, one of the women saw the news that Bulger was missing. A three-page document also noted Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. As of this writing, Venables is still incarcerated. But Blake Morrison, the author of As If: A Crime, a Trial, a Question of Childhood, a book on the trial, points out that Venables had a temper and had been known to lose control and had done some pretty weird things[and it was] just as likely that he was the instigator.. Once those CCTV images were released to the media, the story went nationwide and the search for Bulger intensified. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . 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. On the outside, he finds it difficult to make friends or gain employment and he seeks out drink, sex and pornography as a way of adding excitement to his life and thats a potent mix.. A woman would recognize one of the suspects, 10-year-old Jon Venables. The crimes of the 10-year-old killers horrified Britain. After bringing in Thompson and Jon Venables for questioning, Phil said: As far as Im concerned that day 20 years ago I stared evil in the face. Thompson and Venables eventually arrived near a railway track in Walton. Ive had urges, inquisitive.Mr. Justice Edis sentenced Venables to 40 months in prison, saying:The children depicted were often very young and vulnerable, there is discernible pain and distress suffered.. In October 2020, a parole report stated that Venables was attracted to sexual violence and recommended that he remain in prison. "Of course, because of his existing convictions he would need an exemption my advice would be 'don't bother applying'.". The murder captivated the nation as people wondered what would motivate two 10-year-olds to abduct and murder a defenseless toddler. Now 38, It is believed that he is still. In 2008, The Netline reports that Venables was arrested following a bar fight at a local pub. Both were found guilty of the heinous crime, with the judge at their trial in November 1993 branding James' murder an act of "unparalleled evil and barbarity.". In addition, they thought that the kidnappers mightve been 13 or 14 years old, which threw them off track. 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. Though both boys had killed Bulger, Roberts believed that Thompson was in charge. And Roberts wasnt the only one. But on that fateful day, the two boys would take their crimes to a horrific new level by kidnapping and killing a child. I think Thompson was in charge, but they both attacked James. 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. 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. Where Are Child Murderers Robert Thompson And Jon Venables Today. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. In fact, that first child nearly became the victim. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Both of them served their eight-year sentences and earned release from prison in 2001 after they each had turned 18. The cops soon checked both boys homes. 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