JON VENABLES FACES A NEW PAROLE HEARING — AND NOW THERE IS A PUSH TO MAKE IT PUBLIC

More than three decades after the killing of toddler James Bulger, a new development surrounding Jon Venables has brought the case back into the spotlight.

Jon Venables is facing another parole review — and this time, there is a major push for the proceedings to be opened to public scrutiny.

The Parole Board has confirmed that it has received applications seeking to have Venables’ upcoming parole hearing held in public.

The move comes years after the case of James Bulger shocked Britain and continues to attract intense public attention.

A NEW PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY

According to the Parole Board, Denise and Stuart Fergus have applied for the hearing to be made public.

They argue that the case has generated significant public interest and that greater transparency could help the public understand how parole decisions are made.

They also say public scrutiny could help address misinformation surrounding the case.

A separate application has been submitted by legal representatives of James Bulger and Ralph Bulger.

That application describes the case as exceptional because of the original child murder, Venables’ later offending, previous recalls to custody and the complex issues surrounding anonymity, risk management and any potential release.

WHY THE CASE REMAINS SO SENSITIVE

Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted of the 1993 killing of two-year-old James Bulger.

Both were 10 years old at the time.

Because of Venables’ age and a lifetime injunction protecting his identity, the Parole Board continues to use the name Jon Venables in its published documents.

The Parole Board has previously rejected an application to make his parole hearing public.

In October 2023, the Board’s Chair refused an earlier request, meaning the hearing remained private.

THE LATEST APPLICATION

The latest applicants argue that a public hearing could allow people to better understand how Venables’ risk is assessed, how release plans are examined and how public protection is considered.

They also argue that the case raises wider questions about previous releases, recalls to custody and the management of risk.

The application involving James Bulger’s family further argues that simply allowing observers to attend a private hearing would not provide the same level of transparency.

However, the application is not itself a decision to make the hearing public.

The Parole Board must first consider the representations before deciding whether the hearing should be opened.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The deadline for representations on the application involving Denise and Stuart Fergus was September 10, 2026.

The Parole Board will then consider the submissions before making a decision.

Under the current rules, parole hearings normally remain private. A public hearing can only be allowed where the Chair considers that doing so is in the interests of justice.

For now, the biggest question is not simply whether Jon Venables could eventually be released.

It is whether the public will be allowed to watch the process that determines his future.

After more than 30 years, the James Bulger case is once again heading into a n