A rumor circulating on social media has led to a public denial from Sam Walker, a Liverpool figure known for his high-profile online presence and a long criminal record. Walker, who has more than 400,000 followers on TikTok, posted a recorded denial after online chatter suggested his name was connected to James Bulger’s killers.
The speculation centers on a theory that Robert Thompson—the boy who, along with Jon Venables, abducted and killed James Bulger in 1993—might be the same person as a prominent Liverpool gangster. There is no verified evidence, and the Daily Mail has not produced clear proof. Nonetheless, the online chatter prompted Walker to issue a recorded denial aimed at the critics.
Walker, 42, has a long and controversial footprint on Merseyside. He has more than 45 convictions and has been linked to around 130 offences. Authorities have said his gang earned up to £2,500 a day dealing heroin and crack cocaine, with a police sting resulting in the seizure of £12 million in drugs, plus luxury cars, cash and jewellery.
His public notoriety extends beyond the criminal record. In 2014 he drew headlines for online threats toward former England footballer Ross Barkley amid a dispute over a woman. In 2019 it emerged he ran his own YouTube channel from behind bars. Last year he received a suspended sentence after being caught live-streaming a Dublin court proceeding in which he was being sentenced for motoring offences.
Robert Thompson, 10 at the time, and Jon Venables abducted Bulger from a Merseyside shopping centre in 1993, then tortured and killed him. Thompson was released in 2001 after eight years in a young offenders’ institute; Venables has since been imprisoned again for possessing images of children being sexually abused. Little is known about Thompson’s life in the decades since.
Walker publicly denied the Bulger-link claims in a video addressed to his accusers, describing the issue as highly sensitive for Merseyside and insisting the rumor does not involve him. He told viewers that while James Bulger’s death remains a painful memory for many locals, the allegations against him are unfounded and he warned against further escalation online.
The Daily Mail report notes that the allegations remain unverified and that no concrete evidence has been presented. The episode underscores how enduring the Bulger case remains in local memory and how online chatter can spur swift, strong responses from figures with controversial histories.