In 2010, he was arrested for possessing images of child sexual abuse accumulated in over a year. She was also accused of being a loose woman who was often seen with several different men. For other inquiries, Contact Us. 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.. 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. June 24, 2011. They then kicked him, pummelled him with bricks and stones, and stuffed batteries into his mouth. Venables was given another new identity after a "serious security breach" which could not be reported for legal reasons. He was 10 years old. In 2010, he was imprisoned for downloading images depicting various kinds of sexual abuse being inflicted upon male toddlers. Popular disgust only intensified when witnesses and the media noted Thompsons cold, seemingly remorseless behavior at trial (compared with Venables hysterical outbursts). His current new identity came under threat in February 2018 after James Bulger's dad Ralph launched High Court proceedings against the order that allows him to live anonymously. This valuable clue would lead to the arrest of Venables and his 10-year-old accomplice Robert Thompson (via Crime and Investigation). The cops soon checked both boys homes. Updated: 15:25 ET, Sep 29 2021 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 then sentenced to serve at Her Majestys pleasure, as is standard protocol for juvenile offenders convicted of murder or manslaughter. 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. On November 24, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were found guilty of the abduction and murder of James Bulger, making them the youngest convicted killers in modern British history. 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. A 2015 interview with James Bulgers mother. 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? News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. "Perhaps the parole board have finally seen through his lies and deceit. And even by 2000, top child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter claimed the risk posed by Venables on his release was "trivial". As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Dr. Ian Cumming, a psychiatrist, talked toIndependentabout the difficulties people with fake identities face when building relationships: So much about peoples interactions with others is built on trust, and if what youre doing and who you are is not really correct than thats quite a strain on the individual. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were arrested on February 18, 1993, a little less than a week after the murder. Venables, however, is in prison after being convicted twice of child pornography offences. 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. But Denise Fergus, James's mum, does not support the proceedings and said her son's killer should keep his anonymity to avoid vigilante justice. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. In 2008, Jon Venables was given a formal warning for a drunken fight & was also arrested for a cocaine offence. They went out that day to kill I truly believe that. June 24, 2011. Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years and it was recommended they remained locked up for eight years. In 2017, Venables was caught in possession of thousands of child pornography images and sentenced to a minimum of 40 months in prison. 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". in 2010, He was jailed again for downloading a collection of child porn on his PC and got out in 2013. in 2017, He downloaded more child porn and was jailed again and got out of jail in 2020. Malcolm Croft PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images. The brutal torture and murder of James Bulger occurred sometime between 5:45 and 6:30 PM. Malcolm Croft/PA Images/Getty ImagesJames Bulgers parents, pictured one day before their child was found dead. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Jon Venables poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. By now, however, his forehead was bruised and cut, causing Venables and Thompson to pull the hood of the toddlers anorak over his head to try and hide the injury. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest convicted murderers in British history. At first, Thompson denied everything. 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'. 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. But no one did anything. The case was rejected by Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane, who argued the convict could be killed if his new identity was revealed. I shouldnt have let go.. Lifelong anonymity is put in place by courts rarely and is usually in only the most infamous and horrific cases. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. After that point, the James Bulger killers were to be assessed and, if they werent deemed to be a danger to society, released. All of the instruments used in the attack were found strewn around the area the iron bar, stones, and bricks all covered in the boys blood. This indefinite sentence has no maximum but does have a minimum to be determined on a case-by-case basis. It is believed Thompson remains in a long-term relationship with a man who knows his real identity. 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. Jon Venables was 10 when he and Robert Thompson killed James Bulger The post was shared 627 times. In 2013, the parole approved his release from prison. Though Bulgers mother Denise Fergus had been holding his hand, she had briefly let go to pay for groceries, only to look down with horror and realize that her child had vanished. By the time Thompson and Venables skipped school together on February 12, 1993, the two boys were good friends. And so Bulger slipped away from safety once again. He had passed five GCSEs, taken A-levels and enjoyed trips to the Lake District and even to the theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. First, of course, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson had to snatch Bulger away from his mother in the midst of a busy shopping mall. 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. 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 father Ralph said he could rest easy as one of his sons killers was refused parole, but feared he would re-offend if he was ever released. The images included category A photos, the most serious type, and he also admitted having a paedophile manual. "I have had urges, inquisitive. Venables and Thompson had brought blue paint stolen from the shopping mall and splashed it in Bulgers left eye. 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. This time, he also had a pedophile manual.This is my own fault,he allegedly told police. Robert Thompson was born on August 23, 1982 - the fifth of seven children. A source told the paper that Venables told the panel and his probation officer he doesn't even want to be freed. However, Denise Fergus, James Bulgers mother, concurred with the judges ruling. In their bid to have Venables' identity disclosed, lawyers for Ralph and Jimmy Bulger argued certain details about the killer and his life are "common knowledge" and easily accessible online. But when she looked down, he was gone. There are currently six infamous Brit criminals whose crimes are so notorious they have been given lifetime anonymity. 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. The computer was taken away and 57 indecent images of children over a 12-month period were found. The murder of two-year-old James Bulger shocked Britain. The mother quickly found her daughter, but there was no sign of her son. The report concluded: After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made whilst in custody and on licence, as well as the other evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Venables was suitable for re-release. Where is Robert Thompson now? Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Authorities gave Robert and Jon new identities and released them into society under strict supervision. His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. Not only did they find blue paint on Venables jacket, but they also found blood on Thompsons shoes. He is a dangerous, predatory child abuser and killer, and I am terrified he will harm another child like my James,Ralph said. In June 2019, it was reported Venables was being assessed for a permanent move to Canada. Over 20 years later, he has remained off the radar of authorities and has continued to live under his assumed identity. We pay for videos too. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Witnesses would later testify in court that they saw a crying Bulger being dragged along the two-and-a-half-mile route between the Strand and the railroad tracks where he would be eventually found. As for Venables, he was also born in Liverpool, and just a few days before Thompson, on August 13, 1982. 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. But the two ten-year-olds said, We just found him at the bottom of the hill.. The tot was kidnapped, tortured, and sexually abused by the two ten-year-olds. She turned to drink and fell into depression, as well as allegedly trying to take her own life with an overdose. Venables and Thompson were tried in an adult courtroom by a jury. Official figures showed that Venables' attempt to keep his identity secret cost taxpayers more than 65,000. The child killer was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001 and has not re-offended since. 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". Venables was first imprisoned for possessing images of child abuse in 2010, but he was released in 2013. Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. Finally, discover the story of Mary Bell, the 11-year-old who killed toddlers and got off light. The ex-convict has kept his bargain of the clause of his release. Another investigator said Thompson "would cry whenever there would be an awkward situation," to avoid questioning. 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. A life for a life.. He became eligible for parole in 2013, at which time Ralph Bulger told the parole board that he couldnt forgive his sons killers and that Venables should not be released. The next day, police searched the canal where the boys had been earlier in the afternoon because an eyewitness had reported seeing Bulger there. 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). Closed-circuit camera footage revealed that a child fitting Bulger's description was led away from the shopping center by two young boys. Was Abraham Lincoln Our First Gay President? By this time, Denise was panicking. One person even saw Thompson kick Bulger in the ribs for resisting. Venables claimed he was acting in self-defence and the charges were dropped after he agreed to go on an alcohol-awareness course. And in 2018, he was sentenced to 40 months after admitting to possessing more than 1,000 child abuse images and the pedophile manual. They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. How can anyone say this monster is safe to live among us ever again?. James Bulger being kidnapped by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, as seen on CCTV footage. He had passed five GCSEs, taken A-levels and enjoyed trips to the Lake District and even to the theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. She quickly found mall security personnel and described her son and what he was wearing. 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. 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. Robert Thompson, now 36, said he is a "better person" thanks to his years in prison but. A policeman stands guard at the entrance of the site where the body of James Bulger was found on a railway embankment in Liverpool. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. 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. At trial in 1993, Thompson was painted as the ringleader, leading Venables on at every turn. What befell James Bulger? 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. Some witnesses later remembered seeing Bulger laughing while others remembered seeing him resisting and even screaming for his mother. 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 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. James Bulger's grieving father Ralph lost a High Court bid to have information about Venables made public. Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Mr Venables should be transferred to open prison. Robert Thompson, on the other hand, was not such an easy interview. This is a case that rocked Britain and shocked the entire world. The murder captivated the nation as people wondered what would motivate two 10-year-olds to abduct and murder a defenseless toddler. The youngster had no record of violence before he was found guilty of killing two-year-old James Bulger. 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. 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