Hold James Bulger killer’s parole hearing in public, mum demands

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has demanded that the upcoming parole hearing for her son’s killer be held in public.

Jon Venables was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson, also 10, tortured and killed the two-year-old after luring him away from his mother Denise Fergus as she was shopping in Bootle, Merseyside, on 12 February 1993.

Venables was first released on licence in 2001 but was recalled to prison twice after being found guilty of possessing indecent images of children in 2010 and 2017.

Fergus has argued that a public hearing would help the public understand the process and combat “disinformation” which has “retraumatised” her family.

Venables, now 43, had a parole bid denied in 2023 but in January this year Fergus was told he would have the chance to argue his case again.

A date for the hearing has not yet been set.

Kym Morris, speaking on Fergus’s behalf, told the Mirror newspaper at the time: “Once again, Denise Fergus has been forced to confront a process that reopens unimaginable trauma.

“Denise was hoping for a redirection, allowing her a measure of peace and protection from further distress. That hope has now been taken away.”