JAMES BULGER’S FATHER SAYS HE CAN FINALLY BREATHE EASIER AFTER SON’S KILLER JON VENABLES IS DENIED FREEDOM

The father of murdered toddler James Bulger has spoken of his enormous relief after one of his son’s killers was refused parole, meaning he will remain behind bars.

Ralph Bulger, now 60, said he could finally breathe a little easier after the Parole Board rejected Jon Venables’ latest bid for freedom following a three-day hearing held last month.

But while the decision has brought temporary relief to James’s family, Ralph says the ordeal is far from over.

Venables, now 44, could become eligible for another parole review in approximately two years, leaving the family facing the possibility of reliving the same painful experience all over again.

A FATHER’S RELIEF AFTER MORE THAN THREE DECADES OF HEARTBREAK

Speaking after the decision, Ralph expressed his gratitude that the Parole Board had decided against releasing his son’s killer.

“I’m hugely relieved the Parole Board has seen sense and kept this vile child killer behind bars,” he said.

“I can breathe easier now I know he will not be free to harm other children.”

However, Ralph also described the continuing emotional toll on the family.

“But the trauma never ends. In another two years, he will be eligible for parole again.”

He questioned why the family must repeatedly endure the uncertainty surrounding Venables’ possible release.

“Why the parole board insists on this ridiculous cat and mouse game every two years is beyond me,” he said.

Ralph and his former wife, Denise Fergus, were not permitted to attend the latest private parole review.

THE HORRIFIC MURDER THAT SHOCKED BRITAIN

James Bulger was just two years old when he was abducted from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993.

His mother, Denise, had taken him shopping when she briefly became distracted.

During that time, two ten-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, led James away from the shopping centre.

The pair took the toddler on a journey lasting several miles before brutally torturing and murdering him.

His body was discovered on a railway line two days later.

The horrific crime devastated his family and shocked people across Britain and around the world.

Both boys were convicted of James’s murder in November 1993 and became two of the youngest people in modern British history to be convicted of murder.

VENABLES HAS BEEN RELEASED BEFORE – AND RETURNED TO PRISON TWICE

Venables and Thompson were released on licence in 2001 after serving approximately eight years in custody.

They were given new identities and lifelong anonymity protections following their release.

However, Venables later returned to prison after further offending.

In February 2010, he was recalled to custody after child sexual abuse images were discovered on his computer.

He was released again in August 2013 but was recalled in November 2017 after further offences involving indecent images of children.

In February 2018, he pleaded guilty to offences involving the making of indecent images of children and possession of a paedophile manual.

He received a 40-month prison sentence and has remained behind bars since his latest return to custody.

His previous parole applications have also been unsuccessful, including a decision in 2023.

WHY THE PAROLE BOARD REFUSED TO RELEASE HIM

The latest review involved a three-day hearing held in private.

The panel considered extensive evidence, including reports from probation officers, psychologists and a psychiatrist.

According to the published decision summary, Venables told parole staff that he was not seeking release and accepted that he needed to complete further offending-related work while in prison.

Although professionals acknowledged that he had completed considerable work to address his risks, the panel remained concerned about continuing issues relating to his sexual preoccupation with children.

The decision-makers also identified potential risks of further offending, including the possibility of him returning to viewing child sexual abuse material or progressing to offences involving direct contact with children.

The panel was additionally concerned about how open and honest he would be when working with probation staff under supervision.

It concluded that he should remain in prison.

Justice Secretary Alex Norris welcomed the decision.

JAMES’S MOTHER ALSO SPEAKS OF OVERWHELMING RELIEF

James’s mother, Denise Fergus, also welcomed the decision.

Through her spokesperson, she described her overwhelming feeling as relief, saying this was the outcome she had desperately hoped for.

She had previously campaigned for the parole hearing to be held publicly, arguing that the family deserved to be heard and that transparency could help prevent misinformation surrounding the case.

However, the latest hearing remained private.

The Parole Board explained that a public hearing could create serious security