The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger is set to confront her son's killer in a parole hearing next month, where she will be forced to hear his voice for the first time in years.
A Mother's Unimaginable Trauma
Denise Fergus will attend the hearing for Jon Venables, one of the two ten-year-olds who abducted and killed her two-year-old son in 1993. The Parole Board granted her unprecedented access to observe proceedings, though Venables' face will be covered to protect his identity. The decision has left Denise feeling profound "uncertainty and distress".
A spokeswoman for Denise, Kym Morris, stated: "Once again, Denise Fergus has been forced to confront a process that reopens unimaginable trauma." She added that while observing provides access, it "does not lessen the emotional burden she is being asked to carry, nor does it offer the reassurance or closure she so desperately deserves." Denise's victim impact statement is expected to be read at the hearing.
The Haunting Child Voices of Killers
The case returns to the public eye with the chilling memory of police interview tapes, where the killers' young, almost baby-like voices described their horrific crime. Neither Venables nor Thompson spoke at their 1993 trial, but hours of recordings captured their confessions.
In one exchange, after being shown CCTV of himself and Robert Thompson leading James away from Liverpool's Strand shopping centre, Venables admitted: "That's me, that's me and Robert." When pressed, the small voice confirmed: "I killed James." He added, "I can't tell you anything else, 'cos that's the worst bit," and claimed the idea to kill came from Thompson. Thompson, in turn, blamed Venables.
The murder remains one of the UK's most shocking crimes. On 12 February 1993, Denise briefly let go of James's hand in Bootle. CCTV showed him being led away by the two boys, who marched him for two miles. They passed 38 people before reaching a disused railway line, where they inflicted 42 injuries on the toddler. His body was found two days later.
Divergent Paths After Release
Venables and Thompson were released on licence in June 2001. Their paths since have starkly diverged. Robert Thompson, now 43, has not reoffended and is reported to have led a law-abiding life.
Jon Venables, however, has been returned to prison twice for child abuse image offences: first in 2010 for two years, and again in 2018 for 40 months. His applications for parole have been repeatedly rejected, most recently in December 2023. The Parole Board decided an oral hearing was warranted after reviewing submissions from professionals and the Bulger family.
The hearing next month forces a nation to remember the grainy CCTV footage and the tiny voices that described an act of pure evil, while a mother continues her lifelong search for justice and peace.
