Child killer Jon Venables will have his latest parole bid heard privately, despite a plea from James Bulger's mother to make it public. The 44-year-old, who tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, will have his case considered by parole chiefs at an oral hearing, more than two years after his last appeal.
Mother's Demand for Public Hearing
James's mother, Denise Fergus, had demanded the hearing be held in public to help combat 'misinformation' about the case, which had a 'retraumatising impact' on her. Parole Board hearings are usually held in private, but they can be made public 'in the interests of justice'. A number of media organisations also applied for a public hearing.
In reaching its decision, the Parole Board said a public hearing would make it 'very difficult for Jon Venables to give evidence'. They added that the hearing would involve 'being listened to by people who are seeking to get information so that they can kill him'.
History of the Case
In 2023, the Parole Board rejected Venables' previous bid, finding he still posed a danger to children and could go on to offend again. Venables was jailed alongside Robert Thompson after the pair of 10-year-olds snatched James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993.
Venables was released on licence in July 2001 and recalled to prison in February 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer. He was freed again in August 2013 and then called back in November 2017 for the same offence, with parole judges considering his case again in September 2020.
Victim Access Reforms
A spokeswoman for Ms Fergus previously said her application to observe the hearing had been granted. Victims have been able to attend parole hearings held in private under reforms rolled out nationally in April as part of efforts to boost confidence in the justice system.
