Child killer Jon Venables will remain behind bars after he informed a Parole Board panel that he was not seeking his release from prison. Venables and Robert Thompson tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993 after snatching him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, when both perpetrators were 10 years old.
Parole Hearing Details
According to the BBC News report, Venables told parole staff during his private review that he accepted the need to complete further offending work while in custody. The panel evaluated evidence from prison and community probation officers, three psychologists, and a psychiatrist, with all but one recommending that he stay incarcerated. During the review, the panel also heard a victim personal statement that detailed the severe impact of Venables’ actions.
Panel members noted concerns regarding Venables’ potential cooperation with probation staff and his transparency during supervision, alongside the necessity for additional custody work to address his sexual interests. Although professionals assessed his expressed remorse as genuine and sincere, the panel concluded they were not satisfied that Venables was suitable for release.
Background of the 1993 Crime and Previous Releases
During the original incident, Venables and Thompson led the toddler two-and-a-half miles to a railway track while truanting from school, where they beat him to death. James’ body was discovered two days later, and both boys were subsequently found guilty of murder following a three-week trial at Preston Crown Court.
Following their release on life licence with new identities in June 2001, Venables was recalled to prison in February 2010 after investigators found indecent images of children on his computer. He was released again with a second new identity in August 2013, before being returned to custody in November 2017 for the same offence.
