James Bulger's Father Slams Private Parole Hearing for Killer Jon Venables

The father of murdered toddler James Bulger has expressed outrage over the decision to hold a private parole hearing for his killer, Jon Venables, describing it as "an insult" and akin to "trampling over" his son's grave.

James Bulger, aged two, was abducted, tortured, and murdered by Venables and his accomplice Robert Thompson in a shopping center near Liverpool in 1993. Venables is now seeking his latest bid for freedom, with his parole hearing scheduled to take place privately, more than two years after his last appeal.

James's family had requested a public hearing, hoping to counter "misinformation" surrounding the case. However, the parole board cited the increased risk of identifying the prisoner and sensationalizing the case as reasons for denying a public hearing.

Ralph Bulger, James's father, stated he is "absolutely raging" at the decision. "Our feelings and emotions don't matter to faceless parole chiefs although we were given assurances we could attend," he told The Sun on Sunday. "It's an insult and like trampling over James's grave. Once again it's all about looking after child killer and paedophile Venables while James's family are tossed aside like the rubbish."

James's mother, Denise Fergus, had previously voiced that a public hearing would foster greater understanding of the parole process and make her "finally feel listened to."

Mr. Bulger urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to intervene and block Venables's release if the parole board "buckles," referring to Venables as a "coward" and a "danger to children."

At his previous parole hearing in 2023, Venables's bid for freedom was rejected, with the board concluding he still posed a danger to children and could re-offend.

Venables and Thompson, both ten years old at the time, snatched James from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993. Venables was released on license in July 2001 but was recalled to prison in February 2010 after indecent images of children were discovered on his computer. He was released again in August 2013 but recalled once more in November 2017 for the same offense. Parole judges reviewed his case again in September 2020.

A spokeswoman for Denise Fergus confirmed that her application to observe the hearing had been granted. Reforms implemented nationally in April allow victims to attend parole hearings held in private, aimed at increasing confidence in the justice system.

Despite these reforms, the parole board stated that a public hearing would make it "very difficult for Jon Venables to give evidence" due to concerns he might be "listened to by people who are seeking to get information so that they can kill him." Venables has been granted lifetime anonymity due to the fact he committed the crime as a child.

John Saunders, representing the parole board, wrote in his decision that a "high bar has been set for a public hearing to be in the interests of justice and I have decided that this high bar is not met in this case."