JON VENABLES FACES NEW PAROLE BATTLE AS JAMES BULGER’S FAMILY PUSHES FOR PUBLIC HEARING

LIVERPOOL, UK — More than three decades after the murder of two-year-old James Bulger, Jon Venables is once again at the center of a parole process that could determine whether he remains in prison.

But this time, James Bulger’s family is also seeking something different: greater public scrutiny of the hearing itself.

The Parole Board confirmed in August 2026 that it had received applications asking for Venables’ upcoming parole hearing to be held in public. One application was submitted by James’ mother Denise Fergus and her husband Stuart, while another was made by legal representatives for James’ father Ralph Bulger.

The applications do not mean the hearing will automatically become public. The Parole Board must first consider the requests and determine whether the legal requirements for a public hearing are met.

JAMES BULGER WAS TWO YEARS OLD

James Bulger was abducted in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993 after becoming separated from his mother at a shopping centre.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both 10 years old at the time, were convicted of his murder later that year.

The case became one of the most widely known child-murder cases in modern British history, and both boys were given new identities after their release because of their ages and the continuing risks surrounding their anonymity.

Venables was released on licence in 2001.

However, his time outside prison was later interrupted by further criminal proceedings.

VENABLES WAS RECALLED TO PRISON TWICE

Venables was recalled to prison in 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer.

He was released again in 2013.

In 2017, he was recalled to prison for a second time after another offence involving indecent images of children.

He has remained in custody since then.

His later offending has become an important part of the debate surrounding subsequent parole reviews and the assessment of risk.

When Venables’ previous parole application was considered in 2023, the Parole Board rejected his bid for release. ITV reported that the Board found he still posed a danger to children and could go on to offend again.

ANOTHER PAROLE REVIEW IS NOW UNDERWAY

In January 2026, ITV reported that Venables was due to have another parole hearing, more than two years after his previous unsuccessful attempt.

At that point, no exact hearing date had been confirmed publicly.

The new process has since become the subject of another major issue: whether members of the public should be allowed to observe the proceedings.

The Parole Board normally conducts hearings privately, but applications can be made for a hearing to be opened to the public in cases where the relevant legal criteria are met.

JAMES BULGER’S MOTHER WANTS GREATER TRANSPARENCY

In August, the Parole Board published details of the application made by Denise and Stuart Fergus.

According to the official document, they argued that there is significant public interest in the case and that a public hearing could help the public better understand how parole decisions are made.

They also said that extensive discussion of the case on social media has contributed to misinformation and continued distress for those affected.

Their application points to Venables’ subsequent offending as an unusual feature of the case and argues that public scrutiny could help explain how issues such as risk assessment, release planning and public protection are considered.

JAMES’ FATHER AND FAMILY ALSO SEEK A PUBLIC HEARING

A separate application was submitted on behalf of Ralph Bulger and the Bulger family.

That application similarly argues that the case is exceptional because it involves the murder of a child by children, Venables’ later offending, repeated recalls to custody, anonymity protections and complex questions surrounding risk management.

The family’s legal representatives argue that allowing the public to observe at least part of the hearing could provide a clearer understanding of how evidence and professional risk assessments are examined.

They also proposed safeguards that could allow sensitive information to remain private while permitting appropriate public observation.

The deadline for representations concerning the separate application made on behalf of James’ family was September 10, 2026.

THE HEARING HAS NOT AUTOMATICALLY BECOME PUBLIC

Importantly, the applications should not be confused with a decision by the Parole Board.

As of the latest official information available, there has been no announcement that Venables’ parole hearing will definitely be opened to the public.

The Board must consider the applications and the competing issues, including privacy, anonymity, safety and the integrity of the parole process.

If a public hearing were approved, safeguards could be used to protect Venables’ legally protected identity and sensitive evidence could still be dealt with privately.

THE FAMILY HAS FACED THE PAROLE PROCESS BEFORE

This is not the first time James Bulger’s family has had to confront a parole review involving Venables.

His previous bid for release was rejected in 2023.

That decision came after the Parole Board considered evidence relating to his risk and concluded that release was not appropriate at that time.

The latest review therefore represents another major stage in a case that has continued to affect James’ family for more than 30 years.

For Denise Fergus, each new parole process brings renewed attention to the events surrounding her son’s death and to the question of how Venables’ future should be assessed.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The immediate question is whether the Parole Board will allow the public to observe the forthcoming hearing.

Separately, the Board will eventually have to decide whether Venables can safely be released under licence.

A parole hearing does not mean that release will automatically be granted.

Any decision will depend on the evidence and risk assessment presented to the Parole Board.

For James Bulger’s family, however, the current process is about more than one prisoner’s future.

It is also about transparency, public protection and understanding how decisions are made in one of Britain’s most closely watched criminal cases.

More than three decades after two-year-old James was taken from his mother, the case has once again returned to the headlines — this time with the possibility that the public could be allowed to see part of the parole process unfold.