JON VENABLES FACES FRESH PAROLE BID AS JAMES BULGER’S FAMILY PUSHES FOR A PUBLIC HEARING

Jon Venables is facing another parole review more than three decades after the murder of two-year-old James Bulger — while James’s family is fighting for the hearing to be made public.

The case has reopened painful memories for James Bulger’s family, with his mother, Denise Fergus, and other relatives seeking greater transparency over the parole process.

Venables, now 43, was convicted alongside Robert Thompson after the two boys abducted two-year-old James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993. Both were 10 years old at the time.

The latest development is not simply about whether Venables could eventually be released. It is also about how the parole decision itself should be examined by the public.

Family asks for parole hearing to be made public

In August 2026, the Parole Board published details of an application from Denise and Stuart Fergus asking for Venables’ upcoming oral hearing to be held in public.

The family argued that the case remains of significant public interest and that greater transparency could help the public understand how parole decisions are made.

They also said that continued discussion and misinformation surrounding the case has had a retraumatising effect on the family.

Another application was submitted on behalf of James’s father, Ralph Bulger, and uncle Jimmy Bulger.

Their lawyers argued that the case has exceptional public-interest features, including the original murder, Venables’ subsequent offending, repeated recalls to custody and the complex legal protections surrounding his identity.

They also argued that a public hearing could allow the public to better understand how evidence, professional opinions and risk are assessed before a parole decision is reached.

However, no decision has yet been published confirming that the hearing will be public.

Under Parole Board rules, hearings normally remain private, although the chair can allow a hearing to be opened to the public when it is considered to be in the interests of justice.

Venables has previously been refused release

This would not be Venables’ first attempt to secure release.

In December 2023, a Parole Board panel rejected his application after concluding that releasing him at that point would not be safe for public protection.

The panel raised concerns about his ability to be open and honest with professionals and said outstanding risks still needed to be addressed.

The board also noted concerns surrounding his continuing sexual preoccupation and the potential risk of further offending involving child sexual abuse material or contact with children.

Venables was first released on licence in 2001.

He was later recalled to prison in 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer. He was released again in 2013, before being recalled in 2017 following another offence involving child abuse images.

Why Venables’ identity remains protected

One of the most controversial aspects of the case is the lifelong anonymity granted to Venables and Thompson.

Because they were children when James was murdered, legal protections were put in place to prevent their identities and new identities from being publicly disclosed.

That protection has continued despite Venables’ later offending.

During his previous parole proceedings, the restrictions also meant that James’s family could not attend the hearing itself, which was held behind closed doors.

The current application for a public hearing argues that safeguards could still be maintained.

The family has suggested that sensitive evidence could be discussed privately where necessary, while other parts of the proceedings could potentially be opened to public observation.

A case that continues to haunt the Bulger family

James Bulger’s murder remains one of Britain’s most closely followed criminal cases.

The two-year-old was taken from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle on February 12, 1993. His body was later found near a railway line.

Venables and Thompson were convicted of his murder and were released on licence in 2001 after serving their childhood sentences.

While Thompson has maintained a low public profile since his release, Venables has repeatedly returned to custody because of later offending.

Those recalls have added another layer of pain for James’s family, who have spent decades dealing with parole hearings, legal restrictions and the uncertainty surrounding Venables’ future.

Now, the focus has shifted to the next parole process — and whether the public will be allowed to see how that decision is reached.

For Denise Fergus and James’s other relatives, the request for a public hearing is ultimately about transparency: allowing the process surrounding one of Britain’s most notorious child murder cases to face greater public scrutiny while maintaining the legal protections that remain in place.

The Parole Board has not yet announced whether the request for a public hearing will be granted.