But he also laid blame with their parents, calling for a public debate about "the home background, upbringing, family circumstances, parental behaviour and relationships" of children who commit "grave crimes". Late that year, he was cautioned for possession of cocaine. [7] Venables was detained in Vardy House, a small eight-bedded unit at Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens on Merseyside. The storyline was to feature Loretta Jones and her friend Chrissy, who had been given new identities before arriving in the village, after being convicted of murdering a child at the age of 12. On 20 September 2008, he was held on suspicion of affray over a street fight with a man who claimed Venables had attacked his girlfriend. Blunkett added his own conditions to their licence and insisted on being sent daily updates on the boys' actions. [130] He was scheduled for another parole hearing in October 2022 but it was postponed for at least three months. [4] The boys received education and rehabilitation; despite initial problems, Venables was said to have eventually made good progress at Red Bank, resulting in him being kept there for the full eight years, despite the facility only being a short-stay remand unit. [9] At the trial, the lead prosecution counsel Richard Henriques successfully rebutted the principle of doli incapax, which presumes that young children cannot be held legally responsible for their actions. "I think my son's concentration wasn't the way it should have been, but he wasn't slow. AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, The burden of being cricket legend Tendulkar's son, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Head trauma, autism and childhood abuse more common in killers, study finds, In October of 2012, a little girl from Machynlleth, Powys, Wales, vanished after being sighted willingly climbing into a car near her home. Robert was regularly beaten by his older brothers, perhaps cementing an idea of age-based hierarchy when it comes to demonstrating power. November 24: Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, now both aged 11, are convicted of James Bulger's murder following a 17-day trial at Preston Crown Court. What upsets me is I've no way of bringing him up for the rest of his young years so he's going to lose all his childhood. [78][79], On 14 March 2008, an appeal to set up a Red Balloon Learner Centre in Merseyside in memory of James Bulger was launched by his mother and Esther Rantzen. This is often given as a driver for serial killers from extremely abusive and chaotic backgrounds. Lets explore what could have pushed Jamie Bulger's underage killers to the savage murder of the infant all those years ago. A video still of James Bulger, aged 2 years old, being led away in the 'New Strand' shopping centre, Protesters wait for the arrival of King Charles III and the Queen Consort for their visit to Liverpool Central Library, Wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph in central London, in commemoration for Anzac Day, Waves crash over Tynemouth pier on the North East coast of England, People cross the finish line at the 2023 London Marathon, A Wrexham fan in a Deadpool costume ahead of the Vanarama National League match at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, A demonstrator wears a costume as people protest during the Extinction Rebellion's 'The Big One' event, in London, Britain, The funeral cortege of Paul OGrady travels through the village of Aldington, Kent ahead of his funeral at St Rumwolds Church, Georgia Harrison, who was a victim of revenge porn, at a demonstration organised by Refuge outside the Houses of Parliament, calling for a violence against women and girls code of practice to be added to the Online safety bill, People walk at the Taihaku Cherry Tree Orchard at Alnwick Gardens in Alnwick, Northumberland, A pelican sits in St Jamess Park, London, People take part in the Nagar Kirtan procession through the city centre in Southampton, during Vaisakhi celebrations to mark the birth of the Khalsa and to celebrate the spring harvest and the solar new year, Former Chelsea players and fans show the Samaritans' 24-hour helpline number 116 123 on the back of their shirts during the launch of the TalkMoreThanFootball campaign from Three, during halftime of Chelsea v Brighton at Stamford Bridge, London, Protesters outside York Magistrates Court, where Patrick Thelwell is charged with threatening behaviour after eggs were thrown at King Charles III during his visit to York in November, British milliner Justin Smith, from J. Smith Esquire, with a crown he has created using 319 Scrabble tiles to mark Scrabble's 75th anniversary and King Charles III's coronation, US President Joe Biden delivers a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast, People take part in a rally in Trafalgar Square in London, in support of striking NHS junior doctors, as the British Medical Association holds a 96-hour walkout in a dispute over pay, Masked people attack a police vehicle with petrol bombs in Derrys Creggan area on on 25th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement, People taking part in the annual procession in Glasgow as part of the Sikh Vaisakhi celebration to celebrate the Birth of the Sikh Nation, Visitors dressed in costumes during the Star Wars Celebration at the ExCel London in east London, Lorries queue to enter the Port of Dover in Dover, Britain. Thompson and Venables were charged on 20 February 1993 with abduction and murder. The fifth of seven children, he proved as difficult to his mother as the rest of her progeny. For domestic violence to be the only or prime driver would require a narrative whereby Thompson was the ringleader who commanded Venables to obey him. They were convicted after a 17-day trial and only then were their names and faces revealed. [89] The sentence was reduced to 2+12 years on appeal. [91] On 31 January 2019, a man and a woman pleaded guilty to eight contempt of court offences at the High Court after they admitted to posting photos on social media that they claimed identified Venables; both received suspended prison sentences. The level of brutality involved in the sadistic killing was far beyond what anyone might imagine two primary school children to be capable of. James was snatched from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993, by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. And Ann Thompson turning to alcohol. Venables was later charged with three offences. [75], The Manchester Evening News published details that suggested the names of the secure institutions in which the pair were housed, in breach of the injunction against publicity that had been renewed early in 2001. One of the overriding motives behind any great act of violence or murder is the urge to be able to effectively exert power and control over your environment. Can specific acts of physical or emotional trauma be enough to push a person to violence? "[85][86] On 26 April, two men received suspended jail sentences of nine months after admitting to contempt of court, by publishing photographs that they claimed to be of Venables and Thompson on Facebook and Twitter. [135][136], In August 2001, a stage play titled The Age of Consent by Peter Morris was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The boys were taught to conceal their real names and the crime they had committed which resulted in their being in the units. "Contrary to what the papers will tell you, he is not a little urchin boy. James Patrick Bulger has a net worth of $5.00 million (Estimated) which he earned from his occupation as murder of James Bulger on 12 February 1993 in England. The pathologist's report, which was read out in court, found that Bulger's foreskin had been forcibly pulled back. A pattern of bruising on Bulger's right cheek matched the features of the upper part of a shoe worn by Thompson; a paint mark in the toecap of one of Venables's shoes indicated he must have used "some force" when he kicked Bulger. Murder of James Bulger - Wikipedia 2023 BBC. As David James Smith, who interviewed Thompson, observed: "Ann lives in terror of being discovered by neighbours or anyone who might recognise her when she is out shopping. . That much is clear. It was also revealed that Cheshire police had produced a "threat assessment" to try to establish what could happen to Venables were his new identity revealed. Ann Thompson had been deserted by her husband five years before the killing of Jamie Bulger, and in the week after he left the family home burned down in an accidental fire. The bullying and violence continued after his father left, with the brothers turning on themselves. [53][54] One scene in the film shows the malevolent doll Chucky being splashed with blue paint during a paintball game. [4] Laurence Lee, who was the solicitor of Venables during the trial, later said that Thompson was one of the most frightening children he had seen, and compared him to the Pied Piper. ]]> One of the killers of British toddler James Bulger has been jailed for 40 months at the Old Bailey in London after he [87], On 27 November 2013, a man from Liverpool received a fourteen-month suspended prison sentence for posting images on Twitter claiming to show Venables. Jon Venables - IMDb "You look at him and you say to yourself, 'How could you be involved in anything like this?'" The judge revealed that Venables had been living in Cheshire at the time of the offences, and that the case was dealt with by Cheshire police and Cheshire probation service. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, Ex parte V. and Reg. That's the thing that upsets me because obviously, where I was standing poor little James must have been not far . It was not until February that it emerged Venables had been recalled to prison for breaching the conditions of his release. [84], On 25 February 2013, the Attorney General's Office announced that it was instituting contempt of court proceedings against several people who had allegedly published photographs online showing Thompson or Venables as adults. [82], In April 2010, a 19-year-old man from the Isle of Man was given a three-month suspended prison sentence for falsely claiming in a Facebook message that one of his former colleagues was Thompson. "[4], The police quickly found low-resolution video images of Bulger's abduction from the New Strand Shopping Centre by two unidentified boys. It seems the natural assumption. But he also laid blame with their parents, calling for a public debate about "the home background, upbringing, family circumstances, parental behaviour and relationships" of children who commit "grave crimes". But were these children, as so many have since hypothesised, born evil? He would go to bed. "What he's done is wrong so he needs to be punished. "[107][108], On 21 June 2010, Venables was charged with possession and distribution of indecent images of children. Some of the grislier details of the murder of Jamie Bulger may indicate this here to a lesser degree, but while that was a working theory of Merseyside Police for a time, its not widely believed to be a motivator now. Research into the James Bulger Murders Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables now in 2021: Jon is He has never really been what you would call a sagger off school (a truant). [124][125] On 3 September 2013, it was reported that Venables had been released from prison. ", Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. While his mother Susan suffered from psychiatric problems and would frequently complain of feeling overwhelmed with parenting. They were convicted after a 17-day trial and only then were their names and faces revealed. [9], Lord Donaldson criticised Howard's intervention, describing the increased tariff as "institutionalised vengeance [by] a politician playing to the gallery". Read about our approach to external linking. . Venables was formally warned by the Probation Service for breaking a "good behaviour" clause in his licence. Read about our approach to external linking. He had been tortured - beaten with bricks and an iron bar. [43], The boys, by then aged 11, were found guilty of Bulger's murder at the Preston court on 24 November 1993, becoming the youngest convicted murderers of the 20th century. [127] On 5 January 2018, Venables was charged with unspecified offences relating to indecent images of children. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? After the trial, Mr Justice Morland laid the moral responsibility squarely with the parents. [4] Finally, the boys dropped a 10kg (22lb) railway fishplate on Bulger. In passing sentence, Deputy High Bailiff Alastair Montgomerie said that the teenager had "put that person at significant risk of serious harm" and in a "perilous position" by making the allegation. "[121] The incident occurred after a man from Exeter posted photographs on a website devoted to identifying paedophiles, allegedly showing Venables as an adult, and revealing his name. [5] Venables was sent to prison in 2010 for breaching the terms of his licence, was released on parole again in 2013, and in November 2017 was again sent to prison for possessing child sexual abuse images on his computer. The evidence for it is limited to say the least. They were found guilty on 24 November, making them the youngest convicted murderers in modern British history. [98][99][100] In a statement to the House of Commons on 8 March 2010, Straw reiterated that it was "not in the interest of justice" to reveal the reason why Venables had been returned to custody. Ones well likely never fully understand or appreciate. A woman walks past the Beatles statue in the snow at Pier Head in Liverpool as the Met Office has issued an amber warning for strong winds bringing blizzard conditions and up to 40cm of snow in some areas. The report is full of violent instances, with details of such incidents as Ann taking her third son Philip to the police station after he had threatened his older brother Ian with a knife. A lifetime ban was placed on reporting anything about either his or Thompson's whereabouts or their new identities after their release. Bulger killer Jon Venables jailed over indecent images of children The films - packed full of gore and explicit scenes of violence - easily sparked something of a moral panic the decade before. It was on 12 February 1993 that two-year-old James Bulger was snatched from the New Strand Centre in Bootle, on Merseyside, while his mother Denise was shopping. [133][134] In response to media coverage, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern remarked that, due to his criminal history, Venables would need an exemption under New Zealand's Immigration Act 2009, and that he should "not bother" applying. Exaggeration and gossip aside, a picture of neglect slowly emerged, a picture that focused on the pair's "bad parents", with the Daily Mail pronouncing: "Jon Venables, perhaps inevitably, is the classic product of a broken home." Whilst inside the A.R. Sign up to our newsletter to receive email updates on new series, features, and more from your favourite Crime+Investigation shows: Venables fell into drug addiction and alcohol abuse following his release from prison in 2001, James was killed a month before his third birthday, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. He pleaded guilty to these charges. Robert Thompsons mother and father were patently not good parents. Merseyside police clearly didn't like her and briefed the press that her manner in the interview room was inhibiting the confession of her newly-arrested son. She attended the trial at Preston crown court every day, brushed up and manicured, wearing a smart suit, high shoes and clutching her handbag with its gold chain. [74] In a psychiatric report prepared in 2000 before Venables' release, he was described as posing a "trivial" risk to the public and unlikely to reoffend. Kylian Mbapp parents: Meet Fayza Lamari, Wilfried Mbapp He was given a new name, a job and a flat on his release to try to ensure his security and give him an "ordinary" life. I have lost my son as well. That assessment concluded that Venables would face the highest possible risk of being attacked if his name was either published in the media or known elsewhere in society. Did bad parenting turn Thompson and Venables into killers? Both men were charged with a public order offence, but this was later dropped. //-->3 stories that demonstrate why Trial by Social Post-trial, presiding judge Mr Justice Morland laid the responsibility very firmly at the feet of the parents. The couple, who are living together again after a partial separation, said their feelings towards Jon had not changed despite the terrible crime. What crime did they commit? The court dismissed their claim that the trial was inhuman and degrading treatment but upheld their claim they were denied a fair trial by the nature of the court proceedings. Case notes observe that her "serious depressive problem" made Venables suicidal. It is just heartbreaking.". They answered the question the next day, relaying the Australian government's denial that the killers had been settled in the country. The author Blake Morrison obtained notes from an NSPCC case conference on the Thompson family. AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, The burden of being cricket legend Tendulkar's son, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. As a result, we've decided to take you behind the scenes of the Mbappe family. "In my judgement," he averred, "the home background, upbringing, family circumstances, parental behaviour and relationships were needed in the public domain so that informed and worthwhile debate can take place for the public good in the case of grave crimes by young children.". Thompson was born on August 23, 1982 in England. 'I walked round for a couple of hours trying to find them. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Child killer Jon Venables is expected to launch a new bid to be released from prison, it has been reported. James Patrick Bulger (16 March 1990[2] 12 February 1993) was a two-year-old boy from Kirkby, Merseyside, England, who was abducted, tortured, and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson (born 23 August 1982) and Jon Venables (born 13 August 1982), on 12 February 1993. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? He had so many injuries it was hard to determine which had been fatal. In court, Venables was the more emotional of the two defendants, crying openly and leaning against the shoulder of his social worker. While it was their sons up there in the specially-raised dock, the parents of Thompson and Venables could have been left in no doubt that they too were on trial - that the blame for this terrible murder was placed at the door of their shambolic households. [106] Chief Inspector Tracie O'Gara of Lancashire Constabulary stated: "An individual who was targeted four-and-a-half years ago was not Jon Venables, and now he has left the area. Thompson was a member of what can only be described as a terribly dysfunctional family. A Ministry of Justice spokesman declined to comment on the reports. [3][4] Thompson and Venables led Bulger away from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, after his mother had taken her eyes off him momentarily. They bunked off, they shoplifted, they were violent; all these pieces in a pattern that made up a pair of empty, broken young lives. Jon Venables These are the ugly manifestations of a society that is becoming unworthy of that name. Paradoxically, this concern with her appearance later endeared her to reporters in court. There were tales of charity collection boxes being stolen and of children being assaulted in the classroom. . The ban relating to Venables was partially lifted on Friday at the Old Bailey after he was jailed for the offences under the 1978 Protection of Children Act. They were tried as adults and made to stand in the dock away from their parents, while the judges and barristers wore full gowns and wigs. A narrative emerged of two childhoods influenced not merely by the flaws of parents or the absence of a father, but by the environment in which these boys lived, a Lord Justice Nigel Davis said that the offence was "close to the line" for an immediate prison sentence but suspended the sentence, after observing an early admission of guilt and remorse by the woman. If anything, he was the one likely to bully others. On one occasion, he said, Robert ran off down the street laughing, "You can't catch me". The Old Bailey also heard that in 2008 Venables had posed as a mother offering to sell her daughter for sex during three online chats. [47][118] Venables was eligible for parole in July 2011. Was their upbringing responsible? "It is hard to take in really. 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