Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years and it was recommended they remained locked up for eight years. Venables was held at the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside, which was not revealed until after he had been released. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Though Thompson tried very hard not to incriminate himself while he was speaking to the interrogators, he failed when he gave a detailed account of what James Bulger had been wearing on the day he was killed. [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. Ralph expressed concern that Jon would reoffend if released from prison with a new identity. In this case, it was just eight years, at which time the boys would be 18. chloe johnson peter buck wedding; le mal en elle fin du film But then Jon Venables and Robert Thompson turned back toward the privacy of the deserted railway. He claimed that information about him already existed online. Three months later he was given a caution for possession of cocaine after he was found with a small amount of the class A drug. February 13, 1993. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. But according to some sources, Venables does not want to be freed, in part over fears hell re-offend and in part over his inability to avoid drugs. Thompson was held at Barton Moss near Manchester, where he cultivated an interest in subjects like art and theater. At 18 years old, Venables and Thompson were both released from a young offenders institution under licence in June 2001. And in the time between when that image was captured and when James Bulger was killed in a railway embankment a few miles away, the three boys had been seen walking around the area by dozens of people. After this look at the case of James Bulger and whats become of Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, see some other haunting death photos taken just before the victim met their end. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Robert Thompson and Venables became Britain's youngest killers for 250 years, James Bulger was snatched from his mum in a shopping mall in Merseyside, Denise Fergus shows previously unseen family photos of her murdered two-year-old son for a new documentary 'James Bulger: A Mother's Story with Trevor McDonald'. But most did nothing and those that stopped and questioned the James Bulger killers soon enough let them go on their way to ultimately murder the toddler. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run.. Motive aside, both Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted, making them the youngest to be convicted of that crime in Britain in 250 years. This is a case that rocked Britain and shocked the entire world. She quickly found mall security personnel and described her son and what he was wearing. The youngster had no record of violence before he was found guilty of killing two-year-old James Bulger. Authorities considered Thompson to be the ringleader in the murder that he and Venables committed. And if they hadnt been caught I fear they would have struck again.. Despite the fuzzy footage, it was two small boys that could be seen leading James Bulger (identified from the description of his clothing provided by his mother) to the exit. The pair recollect a few details in which James Bulger was brutally tortured and murdered in February 1993. Ten-year-old Jon Venables poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. On the anniversary of James' death, he was pictured visiting James's . At trial in 1993, Thompson was painted as the ringleader, leading Venables on at every turn. Email us attips@the-sun.co.ukor call 0207 782 4368 . A woman concerned for the toddler told Venables and Thompson that she would take the child to the police station herself. Robert Thompson, now 36, said he is a "better person" thanks to his years in prison but. Over the course of interviews lasting several days, Venables eventually confessed. Venables soon blurted out, I did kill him. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Shockingly, James Bulger wasnt the first child they targeted that day. What befell James Bulger? Mifflintown, PA 17059. 721 Smith Rd. Malcolm Croft PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images. On March 4, 2019, it was announced Venables is to keep his anonymity after a judge ruled it would protect him from "serious violence". Jon Venables New Identity Leaked But the two ten-year-olds said, We just found him at the bottom of the hill.. In October 2020, a parole report stated that Venables was attracted to sexual violence and recommended that he remain in prison. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables The public was already outraged as the police were still not able to catch the killers. This valuable clue would lead to the arrest of Venables and his 10-year-old accomplice Robert Thompson (via Crime and Investigation). Jon Venables and Robert Thompson: Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were child killers who abducted and murdered 2-year-old James Bulger. His current new identity came under threat in February 2018 after James Bulger's dad Ralph launched High Court proceedings against the order that allows him to live anonymously. So, when the eight years were up in 2001, both boys were released. They were released on lifelong licence in 2001, but Venables was . 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. A source told the paper that Venables told the panel and his probation officer he doesn't even want to be freed. "I have had urges, inquisitive. Not only did they find blue paint on Venables jacket, but they also found blood on Thompsons shoes. Once free, Venables spent most of his leisure time playing video games and his probation office met a number of girlfriends over the years. On February 12, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables abducted a 2-year-old boy named James Bulger from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, England. The Mirrorreports that authorities considered relocating Jon to Canada, Australia, or New Zealand to reduce the cost of keeping him in the UK. PA Images/Getty ImagesThe Liverpool railway embankment where James Bulgers body was found. Several shoppers later remembered noticing the trio as they walked through the mall. What about his mum, will you tell her Im sorry?. Clickhereto upload yours. He was arrested yet again in 2017 for the same crime. Instead, they were the toddlers abductors and, soon, his killers. He excelled in his academics and began to develop an interest in textiles. We pay for your stories! The pair tortured and murdered James, whose body was found by a railway line. Email us attips@the-sun.co.ukor call 0207 782 4368 . in 2010, He was jailed again for downloading a collection of child porn on his PC and got out in 2013. in 2017, He downloaded more child porn and was jailed again and got out of jail in 2020. "But he has duped them once too often and now they have ruled against him. I think Thompson was in charge, but they both attacked James. Outside the courthouse, people called for the blood of the James Bulger killers. The killer was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, which is the focus of tonight's new Channel 5 documentary Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (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. Such was the shocking story of two 10-year-old's, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson from England, who killed and mutilated the body of 2-year-old James Bulger.. On that fateful day, the troubled boys were skipping school and wandering around a busy mall, stealing sweets . On February 12, 1993, he was tragically murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. They also said that neither boy was a sociopath. On 24 November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were found guilty of the murder of James Bulger, becoming the youngest convicted murderers in the 20th century. The toddler had gone missing two days before from the Strand shopping center, where Bulger was in the care of his mother. In 2006, reports claimed Thompson was in a stable gay relationship at age 23 and had settled well into his local community in the North West. Officials wrote: "The panel listed as risk factors those influences that made it more likely that Mr Venables would reoffend in the future. At first, they announced the boys name over the malls loudspeakers. The source said: Venables told the board he did not seek release because hes worried that hell reoffend. I did kill him, Venables said. The Liverpool railway embankment where James Bulgers body was found. At first, Thompson denied everything. They walked down one of Liverpools busiest streets. James Bulger killers Jon Venables (holding the boys hand) and Robert Thompson (walking directly in front of the boy) abduct their victim just before killing him, as captured by a surveillance camera. Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. Robert Thompson (on the left) and Jon Venables (both born in August, 1982, ) are two felons, known in British history as the youngest convicted criminals at . These include his "level of intelligence, making constructive use of his time, a capacity and motivation for self-reflection, and a supportive social network in the community". Later that night, one of the women saw the news that Bulger was missing. They first attempted to lure a three-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother away from their mother. 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". The cops soon checked both boys homes. Ive had urges, inquisitive.Mr. Justice Edis sentenced Venables to 40 months in prison, saying:The children depicted were often very young and vulnerable, there is discernible pain and distress suffered.. While inside, Venables received education and rehabilitation while being taught how to conceal his real name and horrifying crime. His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. But one bystander provided a glimmer of hope however fleeting for James Bulger. Venables and Thompson had brought blue paint stolen from the shopping mall and splashed it in Bulgers left eye. [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. After a three-week trial, the jury took only five hours to render a guilty verdict for the boys. In 2008, The Netline reports that Venables was arrested following a bar fight at a local pub. After serving three years, he was released on parole. "Pure evil, I will never change my mind about that.". By the time Thompson and Venables skipped school together on February 12, 1993, the two boys were good friends. "Of course, because of his existing convictions he would need an exemption my advice would be 'don't bother applying'.". To those who arent familiar, the scene looks harmless enough: Two boys leading a toddler, one holding his hand as they make their way through a normal shopping mall in Bootle, England. Then, dive into the maddening mystery behind the Atlanta Child Murders. But once a child turns 18, their name can be reported. My advice would be dont bother applying,she said. The computer was taken away and 57 indecent images of children over a 12-month period were found. The report, which explained why he was denied parole, stated Venables has landed a job in jail while living a top secret life with a new identity among other cons. The report revealed that Jon had a new identity, a job in jail, and was a model prisoner. He was 10 years old. The killer was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, which is. And so Bulger slipped away from safety once again. The report concluded: After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made whilst in custody and on licence, as well as the other evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Venables was suitable for re-release. "Perhaps the parole board have finally seen through his lies and deceit. They were a match made in hell. However, Venables was recalled to prison in November 2017 when he was caught with the sickening child abuse images once again. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. He totally denied everything, said Detective Sergeant Phil Roberts. Robert is now openly gay and is in a long-term relationship. Venables and Thompson then called for Bulger to come. A move abroad would cost, of course, but the thinking is it would be cheaper in the long run,a source said. Four years later, Venables returned to prison on the same charge. 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. 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