He excelled in his academics and began to develop an interest in textiles. "My decision is in no way a reflection on the applicants themselves, for whom there is a profoundest sympathy," he said. 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. By the time Thompson and Venables skipped school together on February 12, 1993, the two boys were good friends. In rejecting Ralphs petition, Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane argued that releasing Jons information would endanger his life. The killer was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, which is. "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). A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run.. Lifelong anonymity is put in place by courts rarely and is usually in only the most infamous and horrific cases. I think Thompson was in charge, but they both attacked James. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Moments later, her three-year-old daughter and two-year-old son were missing. She turned to drink and fell into depression, as well as allegedly trying to take her own life with an overdose. The child murderers were sent to a. Jon Venables was responsible for a sickening crime that horrified the nation. Gone outside with the boy, she said. What about his mum, will you tell her Im sorry?. RM2D3M2P8 - The grave of murdered toddler James Bulger in Kirkdale cemetery, Liverpool, June 22, 2001. At trial in 1993, Thompson was painted as the ringleader, leading Venables on at every turn. Mr Bulger said: Ive always believed Venables will kill another child again if he is allowed back into the community. "Features leading up to his offending as an adult included a sense of dissatisfaction and lack of fulfilment in life, a need for excitement, and a tendency to turn to sex or pornography as a means of coping. In his confession, Jon stated that it was Roberts idea that they kill Bulger. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The older boys ignored him and continued down to a secluded area near a canal. From 1993 to 2001, Venables served time in the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside. In 2008, Jon Venables was given a formal warning for a drunken fight & was also arrested for a cocaine offence. And if they hadnt been caught I fear they would have struck again. Another investigator said Thompson "would cry whenever there would be an awkward situation," to avoid questioning. In September 2008 he was arrested on suspicion of affray after a drunken brawl outside a nightclub and was given a formal warning by the probation service. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". "I have had urges, inquisitive. BWP Media via Getty ImagesJames Bulger at age two. 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 their bid to have Venable's identity disclosed, lawyers for Ralph and Jimmy Bulger argued certain details about the killer and his life are "common knowledge" and easily accessible online. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. He was just ten years old when he abducted two-year-old James Bulger from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, with his friend Robert Thompson. He said: "I don't know how he was doing at school, but he was switched on and he was trying to con me, trying very hard". Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were arrested on February 18, 1993, a little less than a week after the murder. "My decision is in no way a reflection on the applicants themselves, for whom there is a profoundest sympathy," he said. 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. Venables was caged once again in 2010 after being found with a hoard of horrifying child abuse images on his laptop. 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. That blow alone caused 10 skull fractures. Rape survivor slams Gabby Petito Utah cop over handling of her case, 'Dark details' about boyfriend of US swim champ who mysteriously died, Disturbing red flags of Lindsay Clancy's psychosis before she 'killed 3 kids', Mysterious powder swamps US skies as residents report dust-covered cars, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Jon Venables was ten years old when he was arrested for the torture and murder of two-year-old James Bulger, Chilling CCTV shows the moment James was led away from his parents, Venables was jailed for two years in 2010 after he admitted downloading and distributing indecent images of children, James Bulger killer Jon Venables charged over indecent images of children. James Bulgers father, Ralph, stands outside Liverpool Crown Court after making a statement to the parole board in hopes of keeping Jon Venables behind bars. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? A woman concerned for the toddler told Venables and Thompson that she would take the child to the police station herself. But he found himself back in a maximum category A jail, which we cannot identify for legal reasons,after being caught with vile child abuse images following a top-secret police operation. Though a train came and severed Bulgers body in two it was obvious that his demise was no accident. Both Robert Thompson and Jon Venables had rough early years. But by 4:15 p.m., there was no sign of the boy and so he was quickly reported missing to the police. Its just a big knot in your chest and thats been there since day one.. Malcolm Croft/PA Images/Getty ImagesJames Bulgers parents, pictured one day before their child was found dead. Over the course of interviews lasting several days, Venables eventually confessed. His mother treated her depression with heavy drinking and once tried to commit suicide. In this case, it was just eight years, at which time the boys would be 18. But unfortunately, their story didnt end in 1993. She phoned the police and expressed regret for not doing something. As for Venables, he was also born in Liverpool, and just a few days before Thompson, on August 13, 1982. The toddlers heartbreaking final words were: I want my mum.. This was largely due to the fact that Venables appeared more emotional, while Thompson often appeared chillingly unfazed. 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. In 2010, he was arrested for possessing images of child sexual abuse accumulated in over a year. While there, he reportedly told his fellow inmates that he was a car thief. Due to the national furor surrounding their case, they were both given new identities. Several shoppers later remembered noticing the trio as they walked through the mall. Feb 11 2021 On February 12th, 1993, two ten year old's, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, kidnapped, tortured, and killed two-year-old James Patrick Bulger in Liverpool England. On February 12, 1993, he was tragically murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. "Of course, because of his existing convictions he would need an exemption my advice would be 'don't bother applying'.". During his hearing, the court heard that upon his arrest he told cops in the police car: "This is my own fault. In 2010, reports stated that Robert had reintegrated into society and had built a healthy relationship with a community in the North West. Just a couple of days later, Bulger was found on the same railway track where his killers had left him. Four years later, Venables returned to prison on the same charge. I believe the only way to prevent him from killing another baby like James is to keep him locked up for life, Ralph Bulger said in response to the parole boards decision. Despite positive behaviour and landing a job in jail, Parole officials ruled Venables was still not safe to be released. "Pure evil, I will never change my mind about that.". Thompson is believed to have succeeded in making a new life for himself. 721 Smith Rd. View our online Press Pack. On March 4, 2019, it was announced Venables is to keep his anonymity after a judge ruled it would protect him from "serious violence". And so Bulger slipped away from safety once again. 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. Today, while Thompson is believed to be assimilating back into society and living a quiet life, the same cannot be said of Venables. A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run,a source said. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. Venables was released in 2001 and soon found himself running afoul of the law. In fact, that first child nearly became the victim. 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. The mother quickly found her daughter, but there was no sign of her son. But she pulled her curtains and blocked out the scene. What about his mum, will you tell her Im sorry?. The pair tortured and murdered James, whose body was found by a railway line. The murder of two-year-old James Bulger shocked Britain. A freak of nature. I shouldnt have let go.. This is one of the saddest and most devastating stories I have ever heard. And still he followed. As of this writing, Venables is still incarcerated. Thompson was the fifth of seven children, born on August 23, 1982, in Liverpool, England. He claimed that information about him already existed online. A woman would recognize one of the suspects, 10-year-old Jon Venables. Three months later, he got off with a warning after police caught him in possession of a small amount of cocaine. James Bulger being kidnapped by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, as seen on CCTV footage. After intensive rehabilitation, the pair were handed new identities. Venables has now been caged for 40 months foradmitting having a paedo manual explaining "how to have sex with little girls" as well as over 1,000 vile child abuse images. Clickhereto upload yours. 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. "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).". He is an arch manipulator and knows how to play the authorities. 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 it was ultimately an anonymous phone call to the police that implicated Jon Venables and Robert Thompson as the James Bulger killers. James Bulgers father Ralph Bulger (pictured) is fighting to keep Jon Venables in prison for life. His body would be found two days later by a group of horrified teenage boys who were playing in the area. [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. We pay for videos too. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. After a three-week trial, the jury took only five hours to render a guilty verdict for the boys. Security cameras caught the three children walking outside at 3:42 p.m. By that point, Fergus had already alerted mall security, who made several announcements to shoppers about the missing child. She was concerned, but another woman standing nearby said shed heard James laughing moments ago and so both assumed nothing was wrong. Authorities considered Thompson to be the ringleader in the murder that he and Venables committed. Robert Thompson, now 36, said he is a "better person" thanks to his years in prison but. Ten-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. After murdering Bulger, Thompson and Venables placed his body on the railway track in an attempt to make his death look accidental. Other searches were conducted elsewhere, all leading to nothing. Routine psychiatric examinations determined that he showed remorse for his crimes. February 13, 1993. Here is what we know about the child killer and who was released from a young offenders' institution under licence in 2001. [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. Officials wrote: "The panel listed as risk factors those influences that made it more likely that Mr Venables would reoffend in the future. Speaking at the time, he 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. While serving his sentence, Thompson showed remarkable improvement. 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. Once those CCTV images were released to the media, the story went nationwide and the search for Bulger intensified. When Bulgers father, Ralph, saw that it was just two boys with whom his son had left the mall, he was relieved: I looked at Denise and smiled with relief. "To let him out could be another death sentence for an innocent child like James. 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 and Thompson were then sentenced to serve at Her Majestys pleasure, as is standard protocol for juvenile offenders convicted of murder or manslaughter. But in 1993, these two British boys became cold-blooded killers and murdered a toddler. It added that Jon had stated that hed benefited from psychological work in prison and didnt ask the panel for release. 2 They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. Toddler James Bulger disappeared on February 12 1993. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. James Bulger was not the first child that the pair tried to abduct. So the authorities secretly visited Robert Thompson who lived in Walton, not far from the murder scene with his mother and 2 younger brothers. Venables and Robert Thompson - who were 10 at the time of the horrifying murder - were both convicted in November 1993. Then they arrived at the railway. 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.. A two-year-old James Bulger was kidnapped and killed by the ten-year-old Robert Thompson and his partner Jon Venables. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Thompson and Venables led Bulger away from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, after his mother had taken her . Authorities considered Thompson to be released to see all content on the same railway track where his killers had him. For British authorities on February 12, 1993, a little less than a week after murder! 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