The detective who arrested one of James Bulger's killers says he will never forgive him. Phil Roberts, a former Merseyside Police detective sergeant, arrested Robert Thompson in 1993 after the 10-year-old and Jon Venables abducted and murdered two-year-old James.
Mr Roberts, now retired and living in Powys, initially doubted Thompson's involvement. 'When I first saw him, a 10-year-old, I thought no way he could be responsible for murder,' he told BBC Radio Cymru. However, after four interviews, he realised Thompson was guilty and described him as a 'vicious' ringleader.
Thompson and Venables were convicted of murdering James on 12 February 1993. They beat him with bricks and iron bars before leaving his body on a railway line. Both were released in 2001 after eight years in detention, with new identities. Venables was later jailed again for possessing indecent images of children and has been refused parole.
James's mother, Denise Fergus, has campaigned to keep both in prison. 'I did warn [the authorities] that one of them or both of them would go on to reoffend, and I was proven right with Venables,' she said. Mr Roberts met Mrs Fergus recently and said she, like him, will never forgive the killers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Albert Kirby, who led the inquiry, noted the case highlighted that 'children were capable of doing some very evil and violent things.' He added, 'The question is always why? Even now I don't know why they did it.'
