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. Robert Thompson, on the other hand, was not such an easy interview. Venables admitted that he posed online as a 35-year-old woman who was trying to sell images of her abused daughter (via The Daily Mail). The killer walked free in June 2001 with unprecedented lifelong anonymity after a parole board ruled he was no longer a threat to public safety. However, Venables was recalled to prison in November 2017 when he was caught with the sickening child abuse images once again. 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 child killer was released from a young offenders institution under licence in 2001 and has not re-offended since. Outside the courthouse, people called for the blood of the James Bulger killers. A woman concerned for the toddler told Venables and Thompson that she would take the child to the police station herself. He was visited regularly by his parents and was kept at Red Bank for the full eight years because of good progress, despite the facility only being a short-stay remand unit. Venables was first imprisoned for possessing images of child abuse in 2010, but he was released in 2013. At first, Thompson denied everything. February 13, 1993. A freak of nature. A policeman stands guard at the entrance of the site where the body of James Bulger was found on a railway embankment in Liverpool. 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. Clickhereto upload yours. It was the second time she had attempted to post information purportedly about Venables, the . 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.. And if they hadnt been caught I fear they would have struck again.. Jons first brush with authorities after his release came after a bar brawl in 2008. "Pure evil, I will never change my mind about that.". 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". A source said: Hes been relocated all over the country a large number of times costing a fortune. Gone outside with the boy, she said. The brutal torture and murder of James Bulger occurred sometime between 5:45 and 6:30 PM. So, when the eight years were up in 2001, both boys were released. 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. The child killer was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001 and has not re-offended since. Then Venables and Thompson came upon two older boys that they knew. After murdering Bulger, Thompson and Venables placed his body on the railway track in an attempt to make his death look accidental. He was then told that hed have to wait two more years before hed be eligible for parole again. Jon Venables New Identity Leaked "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. Finally, discover the story of Mary Bell, the 11-year-old who killed toddlers and got off light. 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. The Mirrorreports that authorities considered relocating Jon to Canada, Australia, or New Zealand to reduce the cost of keeping him in the UK. Harry Fletcher, a probation officers union official, talked toIndependentabout Jons difficulty with keeping his identity secret. Venables and Thompson were tried in an adult courtroom by a jury. Lifelong anonymity is put in place by courts rarely and is usually in only the most infamous and horrific cases. James was a two-year-old boy from a loving family who lived in Bootle, Merseyside. Mr Bulger said: Ive always believed Venables will kill another child again if he is allowed back into the community. A two-year-old James Bulger was kidnapped and killed by the ten-year-old Robert Thompson and his partner Jon Venables. Wikimedia Commons James Bulger being kidnapped by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, as seen on CCTV footage. Who was Wu Lien-teh and who was his wife Ruth? I think Thompson was in charge, but they both attacked James. Meanwhile, after Venables, Thompson, and Bulger had left the mall, the toddler began crying out for his mother. WikimediaJames Bulger killers Jon Venables (holding the boys hand) and Robert Thompson (walking directly in front of the boy) abduct their victim just before killing him, as captured by a surveillance camera. Though many people on the streets believed that the three boys were siblings, others were concerned about Thompson and Venables aggressive behavior toward Bulger. 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.. 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Inside a TJ Hughes department store, a woman noticed that two boys were trying to get her kids attention. James Bulger's grieving father Ralph lost a High Court bid to have information about Venables made public. There, they splashed stolen blue paint into Bulgers eyes. And if they hadnt been caught I fear they would have struck again. New Zealands Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, stated that the UK shouldnt bother applying for Jons residency in her country. 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. 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. In September 2013, Venables was released from prison after a parole board approved the move two months before. They first attempted to lure a three-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother away from their mother. Venables was caged once again in 2010 after being found with a hoard of horrifying child abuse images on his laptop. The images included category A photos, the most serious type, and he also admitted having a paedophile manual. I did kill him, Venables said. By the time Bulger was dead, he had sustained 42 brutal injuries in total. 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. They were released on lifelong licence in 2001, but Venables was . With evening approaching, an elderly woman saw Bulger crying, noticed his injuries, and approached the trio to enquire what was wrong. At trial in 1993, Thompson was painted as the ringleader, leading Venables on at every turn. 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. In 2008, Jon Venables was given a formal warning for a drunken fight & was also arrested for a cocaine offence. James Bulgers, Ralph, father petitioned to have information about Jon Venables publicized. Explaining why a worldwide injuction preventing details about Venables and Thompson was imposed, then Home Secretary David Blunkett said: "The injunction was granted because there was a real and strong possibility that their lives would be at risk if their identities became known.". 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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both 10, murdered him in cold blood. The cops soon checked both boys homes. Venables and Robert Thompson - who were 10 at the time of the horrifying murder - were both convicted in November 1993. So the authorities secretly visited Robert Thompson who lived in Walton, not far from the murder scene with his mother and 2 younger brothers. "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).". 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. 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. In 2010, he was arrested for possessing images of child sexual abuse accumulated in over a year. 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.". As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 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. Given that key areas of risk remained subject to continuing interventions, the panel considered that Mr Venables was appropriately located in custody where outstanding levels of risk could be addressed. Venables was given another new identity after a "serious security breach" which could not be reported for legal reasons. The judge, Mr Justice Morland, told they boys they had committed a crime of " unparalleled evil and barbarity in my judgement, your conduct was both cunning and very wicked. After momentarily becoming distracted, Bulger's mother noticed that he was nowhere to be seen. A judge sentenced the pair to detention which ended when the pair hit eighteen. 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. James Bulger Story. 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. 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. Closed-circuit camera footage revealed that a child fitting Bulger's description was led away from the shopping center by two young boys. June 24, 2011. The same path would not apply to his partner in crime, however. "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. Here is what we know about the child killer and who was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001. This is one of the saddest and most devastating stories I have ever heard. 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. His father had abandoned the family early on, causing his depressed mother to turn to alcohol and even attempt suicide. 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. His mysterious death. The twisted child killer,. They added: "Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell re-offend. [Robert Thompson and Jon Venables] now 18, were sent to secure units in November 1993, after they were found guilty of abducting two-year old James Bulger and beating him to death, the Home Office has announced today that they will be freed after serving less than nine years of their sentence. Thompson and Venables led Bulger away from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, after his mother had taken her . The search ended two days after the disappearance when four children discovered Bulgers body on the railway track just 200 yards from the nearest police station. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Following his eight-year sentence for the horrific crime, Robert Thompson was freed and given a new identity. 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". The seven years he spent in detention helped Robert as he is yet to reoffend or violate the terms of his release. Venables soon blurted out, I did kill him. Ten-year-old Jon Venables poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. 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. Jon Venables was born on August 13, 1982. They then kicked him, pummelled him with bricks and stones, and stuffed batteries into his mouth. Venables and Thompson had brought blue paint stolen from the shopping mall and splashed it in Bulgers left eye. 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. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. Due to the national furor surrounding their case, they were both given new identities. More than 25 years later, the surveillance image above remains etched in the minds of the millions familiar with the James Bulger case. James Bulgers mother, Denise, was able to locate Robert Thompson in 2004 but was paralyzed with hatred and could not confront him. Thompson was the fifth of seven children, born on August 23, 1982, in Liverpool, England. 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. And even by 2000, top child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter claimed the risk posed by Venables on his release was "trivial". "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). In July 2010, Venables appeared at the Old Bailey via video link which was only visible to the judge. It added that Jon had stated that hed benefited from psychological work in prison and didnt ask the panel for release. Robert is now openly gay and is in a long-term relationship. James Bulgers father Ralph Bulger thinks that if Venables were to be released now, he would be at risk of killing again. By the time Thompson and Venables skipped school together on February 12, 1993, the two boys were good friends. The source said: Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell reoffend. Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. The panel listed as risk factors those influencers that made it more likely that Mr. Venables would reoffend in the future,the report read. In fact, that first child nearly became the victim. Robert Thompson was born on August 23, 1982 - the fifth of seven children. ROBERT Thompson abducted, tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger alongside his partner in crime Jon Venables when they were just 10 years old. The crimes of the 10-year-old killers horrified Britain. 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. Venables and Thompson were both charged. Both Robert Thompson and Jon Venables had rough early years. Instead, they were the toddlers abductors and, soon, his killers. ", Outside court, solicitor advocate for the Bulgers, Robin Makin, said: "The authorities seem to be hell-bent on protecting JV regardless of the risk to others and this has been a primary driving force behind Ralph and Jimmys application.". Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. Venables, however, is in prison after being convicted twice of child pornography offences. However, the psychiatrists were not able to find a motive for this horrific crime. In September 2008 he was arrested on suspicion of affray after a drunken brawl outside a nightclub and was given a formal warning by the probation service. 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". The. James Bulgers father Ralph Bulger (pictured) is fighting to keep Jon Venables in prison for life. His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. It was also noted that Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. Motive aside, both Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted, making them the youngest to be convicted of that crime in Britain in 250 years. They also said that neither boy was a sociopath. 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. What befell James Bulger? 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 this life and thats a potent mix.. 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. 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. The pair tortured and murdered James, whose body was found by a railway line. It is believed Thompson remains in a long-term relationship with a man who knows his real identity. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were arrested on February 18, 1993, a little less than a week after the murder. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Trying to get her kids attention for Jons residency in her country the risk posed by Venables on release. Up in 2001, both boys were released 's grieving father Ralph Bulger ( pictured ) is to! Was only visible to the judge to make his death look accidental store, woman... 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