The computer was taken away and 57 indecent images of children over a 12-month period were found. As for Venables, he was also born in Liverpool, and just a few days before Thompson, on August 13, 1982. But it was ultimately an anonymous phone call to the police that implicated Jon Venables and Robert Thompson as the James Bulger killers. They added: "Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell re-offend. Robert Thompson, on the other hand, was not such an easy interview. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. But during separate police interviews, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson turned on each other. A three-page document also noted Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. This indefinite sentence has no maximum but does have a minimum to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Finally, they hit Bulger over the head with a 22-pound iron bar. At trial in 1993, Thompson was painted as the ringleader, leading Venables on at every turn. 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. 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. This is one of the saddest and most devastating stories I have ever heard. 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. James Bulgers father Ralph Bulger (pictured) is fighting to keep Jon Venables in prison for life. Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty ImagesJames Bulgers father, Ralph, stands outside Liverpool Crown Court after making a statement to the parole board in hopes of keeping Jon Venables behind bars. He was arrested yet again in 2017 for the same crime. James Bulger's father calls for Jon Venables's anonymity to be lifted, A police handout photo of Robert Thompson from 1993, James Bulger, two, was abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, Ralph Bulger is the father of murdered James, Venables (pictured as a child) was sent to prison over possession of child abuse imagery, A video still of James Bulger being led away in 1993, John Venables, pictured after his arrest in February 1993. To this day, the motive still remains unclear. Thompson is believed to have succeeded in making a new life for himself. 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. 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 was largely due to the fact that Venables appeared more emotional, while Thompson often appeared chillingly unfazed. And even by 2000, top child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter claimed the risk posed by Venables on his release was "trivial". Jon Venables and Robert Thompson: Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were child killers who abducted and murdered 2-year-old James Bulger. Shed objected to Ralphs petition, saying: I understand the motivation for the application, but my concern is that if Venables were known by his own name, it could lead to vigilante action and innocent people being hurt. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (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. 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. Some even saw the older boys punch and kick the two-year-old. Jon Venables was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, not far from half the amount of time he served for joining Robert Thompson in perpetrating the murder of James Bulger a quarter-century before. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". 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. And in 2018, he was sentenced to 40 months after admitting to possessing more than 1,000 child abuse images and the pedophile manual. [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. Some witnesses later remembered seeing Bulger laughing while others remembered seeing him resisting and even screaming for his mother. As of this writing, Venables is still incarcerated. Since being freed, Venables alone is thought to have cost the public around 5million. The tot was kidnapped, tortured, and sexually abused by the two ten-year-olds. Having a partner thats comfortable with his identity must have helped a lot. Thompson was the fifth of seven children, born on August 23, 1982, in Liverpool, England. His mother treated her depression with heavy drinking and once tried to commit suicide. Over the course of interviews lasting several days, Venables eventually confessed. Nevertheless, Venables was released. 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. She had thought that her son was by her side as she was placing her order at the butcher shop. Today, while Thompson is believed to be assimilating back into society and living a quiet life, the same cannot be said of Venables. A judge sentenced the pair to detention which ended when the pair hit eighteen. The boys hesitated, perhaps reconsidering what they were about to do, and did briefly turn away from the embankment. The next day, police searched the canal where the boys had been earlier in the afternoon because an eyewitness had reported seeing Bulger there. ONE of James Bulger's killers says he has had a better life as a result of murdering the toddler. After questioning Thompson and Venables, Detective Phil Roberts said, As far as Im concerned that day I stared evil in the face., Roberts continued, They were a match made in hell. Later that night, one of the women saw the news that Bulger was missing. He could now be kept in prison for the rest of his life ifthe board decides he poses too much of a risk to ever be freed again. And even by 2000, top child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter claimed the risk posed by Venables on his release was "trivial". In rejecting Ralphs petition, Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane argued that releasing Jons information would endanger his life. Three months later he was given a caution for possession of cocaine after he was found with a small amount of the class A drug. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest convicted murderers in British history. Finally, discover the story of Mary Bell, the 11-year-old who killed toddlers and got off light. What about his mum, will you tell her Im sorry?. James Bulger was seized and killed by Robert Thompson and his accomplice Jon Venables. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Mr Bulger said: Ive always believed Venables will kill another child again if he is allowed back into the community. 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. They were a match made in hell. A freak of nature. To those who arent familiar, the scene looks harmless enough: Two boys leading a toddler, one holding his hand as they make their way through a normal shopping mall in Bootle, England. Wikimedia Commons James Bulger being kidnapped by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, as seen on CCTV footage. Both Venables and Thompson were released at age 18 in June 2001. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". Soon after, a woman saw Thompson punch Bulger and shake him. [B]ut, in the end, he shot himself in the foot by giving me a detailed account of what James Bulger was wearing. Nevertheless, throughout the whole process, Thompson remained chillingly unfazed, earning him the nickname the boy who did not cry from the press. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (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. She quickly found mall security personnel and described her son and what he was wearing. The parents of James Bulger, Denise and Ralph, at a police press conference in Liverpool the day after their son disappeared. "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. He was 10 years old. Despite this evidence, however, Venables and Thompson werent initially the authorities prime suspects. Email us attips@the-sun.co.ukor call 0207 782 4368 . Robert is now openly gay and is in a long-term relationship. in March 2019. We pay for your stories! The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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.. They first attempted to lure a three-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother away from their mother. 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. Living under new names, they would both follow different trajectories. New Zealands Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, stated that the UK shouldnt bother applying for Jons residency in her country. The lawyer, representing Ralph and his brother Jimmy, told a court on May 2 that the original injunction granted to Venables was on the basis that he was rehabilitated and did not re-offend. Harry Fletcher, a probation officers union official, talked toIndependentabout Jons difficulty with keeping his identity secret. Though nearly three decades have passed, the story of Robert Thompson and Jon Venables remains shocking to this day. James Bulger's grieving father Ralph lost a High Court bid to have information about Venables made public. Both were released under strict conditions in 2001 and given new identities, but Venables kept falling foul of the law and was put behind bars once again for more horrific crimes. In one of the most chilling photos in recent times, Venables was captured holding the 2-year-old James Bulger as Robert walked ahead of the pair. James Bulgers parents, pictured one day before their child was found dead. A woman concerned for the toddler told Venables and Thompson that she would take the child to the police station herself. Such was the shocking story of two 10-year-old's, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson from England, who killed and mutilated the body of 2-year-old James Bulger.. On that fateful day, the troubled boys were skipping school and wandering around a busy mall, stealing sweets . Grainy CCTV footage shows them walking James away from the. 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. More than 25 years later, the surveillance image above remains etched in the minds of the millions familiar with the James Bulger case. This is a case that rocked Britain and shocked the entire world. Venables and Thompson were tried in an adult courtroom by a jury. Their young age, coupled with the brutality of their crime, shocked the United Kingdom to its core. Robert had no father figure as his dad abandoned the family five years before the murder. Venables and Thompson were both charged. Both boys were ordered to be imprisoned until review when they turned 18. But unfortunately, their story didnt end in 1993. "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. The kid killers were condemned to an adolescent detainment office, where they resided until their parole in 2001 at 18 years old. "My decision is in no way a reflection on the applicants themselves, for whom there is a profoundest sympathy," he said. In October last year, a parole report warned that Venables has an "attraction to sexual violence" and "thinks about sex a lot". They went out that day to kill I truly believe that. Hes gonna be all right, Denise, I said. In January 2018, James Bulger's mum Denise Fergus backed calls for a public inquiry into the toddler's murder. On the anniversary of James' death, he was pictured visiting James's . Outside the courthouse, people called for the blood of the James Bulger killers. My advice would be dont bother applying,she said. Not only did they find blue paint on Venables jacket, but they also found blood on Thompsons shoes. But once a child turns 18, their name can be reported. Closed-circuit camera footage revealed that a child fitting Bulger's description was led away from the shopping center by two young boys. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables The public was already outraged as the police were still not able to catch the killers. As for Venables, he has been thrown in prison again on multiple occasions, most notably for possession of child pornography and a pedophile manual, which described how to abuse young girls in sickening detail. 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. I shouldnt have let go.. Though they were unsuccessful, Thompson and Venables didnt give up. Dr. Both of them served their eight-year sentences and earned release from prison in 2001 after they each had turned 18. Meanwhile, court-appointed psychiatrists said that both Thompson and Venables knew the difference between right and wrong. Sometimes you feel like youre having a heart attack, he said at the time. 2 So, when the eight years were up in 2001, both boys were released. 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. The murder of two-year-old James Bulger shocked Britain. Four years later, Venables returned to prison on the same charge. Venables was held at the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside, which was not revealed until after he had been released. The youngster had no record of violence before he was found guilty of killing two-year-old James Bulger. This valuable clue would lead to the arrest of Venables and his 10-year-old accomplice Robert Thompson (via Crime and Investigation). Here is what we know about the child killer and who was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001. Shockingly, James Bulger wasnt the first child they targeted that day. Toddler James Bulger disappeared on February 12 1993. Mere luck had saved the boy and sealed James Bulgers terrible fate. He lives in a community in the North West. He was not allowed to contact Thompson, who was also released at the same time with a new identity, or the Bulger family and he could not visit the Merseyside region. June 24, 2011. Jon Venables was born on August 13, 1982. Its just a big knot in your chest and thats been there since day one.. His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. But when she looked down, he was gone. 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. It was a crime that shocked the nation and a story that will never be forgotten. James Bulgers mother, Denise, was able to locate Robert Thompson in 2004 but was paralyzed with hatred and could not confront him. While the abduction of James Bulger was caught on camera, police had few leads for potential suspects. After murdering Bulger, Thompson and Venables placed his body on the railway track in an attempt to make his death look accidental. It is believed Thompson remains in a long-term relationship with a man who knows his real identity. After luring the toddler away from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables kidnapped, tormented, and murdered him in 1993. Then, read up on the most horrific child murderers. I think Thompson was in charge, but they both attacked James. 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. The child murderers were sent to a. Who suggested it is unclear; later, after they were arrested, each blamed the other. Venables was first imprisoned for possessing images of child abuse in 2010, but he was released in 2013. Not long after the bar fight, he was found to be in possession of cocaine. They then bludgeoned him with bricks and stones, kicked his battered body, and shoved batteries into his mouth. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. Many of these witnesses later admitted that Bulger looked distressed. Kill the bastards, people yelled. Robert Thompson was released in 2010. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. 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. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. Some witnesses later reported that the older boys roughed up Bulger in plain sight, kicking, punching, and shaking him. And so Bulger slipped away from safety once again. In September 2013, Venables was released from prison after a parole board approved the move two months before. The older boys then meandered around Liverpool past shops, buildings, and parking lots. Meanwhile, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables led the toddler far away from the mall and toward another town. "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).". Then, dive into the maddening mystery behind the Atlanta Child Murders. Robert Thompson was born on August 23, 1982 - the fifth of seven children. The toddlers heartbreaking final words were: I want my mum.. He was so badly battered, authorities later concluded, that there was no way to tell which injury represented the fatal blow. The seven years he spent in detention helped Robert as he is yet to reoffend or violate the terms of his release. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. 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