The computer was taken away and 57 indecent images of children over a 12-month period were found. One person even saw Thompson kick Bulger in the ribs for resisting. After learning about Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, read about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. His body would be found two days later by a group of horrified teenage boys who were playing in the area. 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". Having a partner thats comfortable with his identity must have helped a lot. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Jon Venables poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. 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. Its not surprising that he may have revealed his true identity, given the enormity of what hes done and the difficulty of coming to terms with that and a new identity,Harry said. I have let people down again. But sometimes the unthinkable happens - children kill. There are currently six infamous Brit criminals whose crimes are so notorious they have been given lifetime anonymity. Thompson has been free since his release in 2001. Moreover, court-appointed psychiatrists determined that the two boys knew right from wrong and werent sociopaths, but were nevertheless able to uncover any concrete motives for James Bulgers murder something no professional has been able to confidently determine even in the years since. Addressing a potential future release, the report described how his chances of reoffending were he to be released from jail could be cut by certain "protective factors". They were a match made in hell. James Bulgers parents, pictured one day before their child was found dead. 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. 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. James Bulgers father Ralph Bulger (pictured) is fighting to keep Jon Venables in prison for life. They added: "Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell re-offend. Retired detective Laurie Dalton recalled her feeling that Thompson was "pure evil" (via The Sun) and would try to manipulate the police during questioning. Clickhereto upload yours. And even by 2000, top child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter claimed the risk posed by Venables on his release was "trivial". 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.. The older boys ignored him and continued down to a secluded area near a canal. At first, they announced the boys name over the malls loudspeakers. The Parole Board refused to recommend Venables for release for at least another two years, according to The Sun newspaper. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . He is an arch manipulator and knows how to play the authorities. To date, no significant attempts at vengeance have been made. Footage of the boy's two abductors was released to the public by police. Malcolm Croft PA Images/PA Images via Getty ImagesThe parents of James Bulger, Denise and Ralph, at a police press conference in Liverpool the day after their son disappeared. His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. Beyond that, I have no further comments to make., Inside Aimee Challenors life, her husband and parents, Inside Kimberly Guilfoyles life, her parents and ex-husbands, Are Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes still dating? But this wouldn't be the only time Venables would have a brush with police. But according to some sources, Venables does not want to be freed, in part over fears hell re-offend and in part over his inability to avoid drugs. A three-page document also noted Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. Mr Bulger said: Ive always believed Venables will kill another child again if he is allowed back into the community. The same path would not apply to his partner in crime, however. The source said: Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell reoffend. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. But she pulled her curtains and blocked out the scene. Meanwhile, after Venables, Thompson, and Bulger had left the mall, the toddler began crying out for his mother. Daniel Rennie is a freelance writer residing in Melbourne, Australia. He was denied parole in 2000 and ordered to stay behind bars for at least an additional two years. The judge 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.. I think Thompson was in charge, but they both attacked James. However, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern issued a short and sharp response to reports Venables could apply to relocate to the country. The next day, police searched the canal where the boys had been earlier in the afternoon because an eyewitness had reported seeing Bulger there. He had passed five GCSEs, taken A-levels and enjoyed trips to the Lake District and even to the theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. At first, Thompson denied everything. The body of two-year-old James Bulger was discovered near a set of railroad tracks in Liverpool, England on a cold February day in 1993. Venables, who appeared via a video link that only the judge could see, pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children for a second time and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. 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.. But on that fateful day, the two boys would take their crimes to a horrific new level by kidnapping and killing a child. Like Thompson, Venables parents were separated. Why Kissing The Blarney Stone Is One Of Ireland's Most Legendary Traditions, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Instead, they were the toddlers abductors and, soon, his killers. Venables was held at the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside, which was not revealed until after he had been released. 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. James Bulger was seized and killed by Robert Thompson and his accomplice Jon Venables. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. He is yet to violate the terms of his release. The child killer was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001 and has not re-offended since. Within hours of that surveillance image being captured on the afternoon of February 12, 1993, 10-year-olds Jon Venables and Robert Thompson had tortured two-year-old James Bulger to death. 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. Venables and Thompson were found guilty of Bulger's abduction and murder on November 24, 1993 - makingthem the youngest people to be jailed for murder in 250 years. "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).". Several shoppers later remembered noticing the trio as they walked through the mall. 7 Oct 2021; Updated 13:36, 7 . He was so badly battered, authorities later concluded, that there was no way to tell which injury represented the fatal blow. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both 10, murdered him in cold blood. 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. Later that night, one of the women saw the news that Bulger was missing. More than 25 years later, the surveillance image above remains etched in the minds of the millions familiar with the James Bulger case. Feb 11 2021 On February 12th, 1993, two ten year old's, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, kidnapped, tortured, and killed two-year-old James Patrick Bulger in Liverpool England. 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. Official figures showed that Venables' attempt to keep his identity secret cost taxpayers more than 65,000. Venables and Thompson had brought blue paint stolen from the shopping mall and splashed it in Bulgers left eye. However, Venables was recalled to prison in November 2017 when he was caught with the sickening child abuse images once again. It was the second time she had attempted to post information purportedly about Venables, the . 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. PA Images/Getty ImagesThe Liverpool railway embankment where James Bulgers body was found. Ralph expressed concern that Jon would reoffend if released from prison with a new identity. But unfortunately, their story didnt end in 1993. When officers arrived at his flat, Venables was attempting to remove or destroy the hard drive of his computer with a knife and tin opener. We pay for videos too. Police dropped the charges against him after he agreed to enroll in an alcohol awareness course. Venables was caged once again in 2010 after being found with a hoard of horrifying child abuse images on his laptop. It was a crime that shocked the nation and a story that will never be forgotten. Youve got enormous burdens to carry around.. Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Venables should be transferred to open prison. But by 4:15 p.m., there was no sign of the boy and so he was quickly reported missing to the police. James Bulger Story. After serving three years, he was released on parole. Another suspect, Jon Venables was also taken into custody. He claimed that information about him already existed online. Sentencing him to 40 months jail in 2018, Mr Justice Edis said: The children depicted were often very young and vulnerable, there is discernible pain and distress suffered.. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Robert Thompson and Venables became Britain's youngest killers for 250 years, James Bulger was snatched from his mum in a shopping mall in Merseyside, Denise Fergus shows previously unseen family photos of her murdered two-year-old son for a new documentary 'James Bulger: A Mother's Story with Trevor McDonald'. A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run,a source said. Venables and Robert Thompson - who were 10 at the time of the horrifying murder - were both convicted in November 1993. 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. Where is Robert Thompson now? She turned to drink and fell into depression, as well as allegedly trying to take her own life with an overdose. After luring the toddler away from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables kidnapped, tormented, and murdered him in 1993. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. In 2010, he was arrested for possessing images of child sexual abuse accumulated in over a year. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. 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". There, they splashed stolen blue paint into Bulgers eyes. Four years later, Venables returned to prison on the same charge. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Then Venables and Thompson came upon two older boys that they knew. Everything we know, Mr. Justice Edis sentenced Venables to 40 months in prison, saying, Shed objected to Ralphs petition, saying, Who are Miles Pfeffers parents? This was largely due to the fact that Venables appeared more emotional, while Thompson often appeared chillingly unfazed. A Match Made In Hell: How Robert Thompson And Jon Venables Became Killers At Age 10. Officials said: "Mr Venables indicated, through his legal representative, that he was benefiting from ongoing psychological work and did not ask the panel to direct his release or recommend a transfer to open conditions at this stage.". Another investigator said Thompson "would cry whenever there would be an awkward situation," to avoid questioning. 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. Here is what we know about the child killer and who was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001. Today, while Thompson is believed to be assimilating back into society and living a quiet life, the same cannot be said of Venables. They then led him to an area called Walton in Liverpool, where they tortured him, beat him to death, and abandoned his body on a railway track in an effort to make his murder look like an accident. Ten-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. Over 20 years later, he has remained off the radar of authorities and has continued to live under his assumed identity. Venables was given a SECOND new identity following his release from prison in 2013. 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". This is one of the saddest and most devastating stories I have ever heard. 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. Channel 5 is set to air a new two-part documentary that tells the definitive story of the murder of James Bulger, who was horrifically killed by Jon . But during separate police interviews, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson turned on each other. Most recently, Venables was denied parole in September 2020. More than 25 years later, the surveillance image above remains etched in the minds of the millions familiar with the James Bulger case. Thompson hasnt reoffended per the terms of his release, but authorities believe he masterminded the plan that led to James Bulgers death. Meanwhile, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables led the toddler far away from the mall and toward another town. They were caught by a surveillance camera leaving the mall at 3:42 PM. At the mall, James Bulger killers wandered from shop to shop, stealing anything they could get their hands on, then tossing their stolen booty down escalators just for the fun of it. It is believed Thompson remains in a long-term relationship with a man who knows his real identity. ", 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.. Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years and it was recommended they remained locked up for eight years. Rumours had spread widely on social media that Jon Venables, who murdered James Bulger in 1993 along with Robert Thompson, had had his eyes ripped out in prison . "Perhaps the parole board have finally seen through his lies and deceit. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were arrested on February 18, 1993, a little less than a week after the murder. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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. It was also noted that Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. Following his eight-year sentence for the horrific crime, Robert Thompson was freed and given a new identity. In rejecting Ralphs petition, Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane argued that releasing Jons information would endanger his life. Robert Thompson (on the left) and Jon Venables (both born in August, 1982, ) are two felons, known in British history as the youngest convicted criminals at . Instead of jail time, he was ordered to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. 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