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

More than three decades after the murder of two-year-old James Bulger, the case of Jon Venables is once again before the UK Parole Board, with James’s family seeking greater public scrutiny of the process.

Venables, who was 10 years old when he and Robert Thompson were convicted of murdering James in Merseyside in 1993, is facing another parole review after his previous application was rejected in 2023.

The latest development has also prompted James Bulger’s mother, Denise Fergus, and other members of the family to seek permission for the forthcoming hearing to be held publicly.

A NEW PAROLE REVIEW

The Parole Board confirmed that it has received applications asking for Venables’ upcoming oral hearing to be made public.

Denise and Stuart Fergus argued that the exceptional public interest surrounding the case means greater transparency could help the public understand how parole decisions are reached.

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

Their application argues that the case involves several unusual issues, including Venables’ later offending, repeated recalls to custody, anonymity arrangements and questions surrounding the management of risk following his previous releases.

However, the application for a public hearing is not the same as a decision to make the hearing public. The Parole Board was still considering the requests, and the hearing itself had not been announced as an open proceeding in the latest official update.

WHY THE CASE HAS RETURNED TO THE PAROLE BOARD

Venables was released on licence in 2001 after spending years in secure youth accommodation.

He was subsequently recalled to prison after being convicted of offences involving indecent images of children. He was released again in 2013 but was recalled for a second time in 2017 following another conviction involving such material.

His most recent parole application was rejected in 2023.

At that time, the Parole Board concluded that it was not satisfied his release would be safe for the protection of the public and raised concerns about outstanding risk and his openness with professionals.

The new hearing therefore represents another stage in the parole process rather than an automatic route to freedom.

DENISE FERGUS HAS BEEN GRANTED ACCESS

James’s mother has previously spoken publicly about the emotional impact of repeatedly having to face parole proceedings involving her son’s killer.

When the latest parole hearing was announced in January 2026, her representative said the process had reopened what she described as unimaginable trauma.

The Parole Board has allowed Denise Fergus to observe the hearing under the current arrangements for victims and families attending parole proceedings.

The request for a public hearing goes further.

The family argues that the exceptional circumstances of the case warrant greater scrutiny and that sensitive material could potentially be dealt with privately while other parts of the proceedings were made available to the public.

VENABLES’ IDENTITY REMAINS PROTECTED

Despite the renewed public attention, a lifelong High Court injunction continues to protect the identity and whereabouts of Venables and Thompson.

The injunction has been repeatedly maintained and restricts publication of information that could identify either man following their release under new identities.

That legal protection remains an important factor in determining how any future parole hearing could be conducted.

The Parole Board has previously acknowledged the difficulty of balancing public scrutiny with the legal protections surrounding Venables’ identity.

NO DECISION TO RELEASE HIM HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

For now, there is no confirmed decision that Venables will be released.

The immediate issue is the forthcoming parole process and, separately, whether the hearing should be opened to the public.

The Parole Board’s official records list the Venables public-hearing application among its pending applications.

Whatever decision is ultimately reached, the case is likely to remain closely watched because of the extraordinary history surrounding James Bulger’s murder, Venables’ later recalls to custody and the continuing legal protections surrounding his identity.

For James Bulger’s family, the latest proceedings mark another painful chapter in a case that began more than 30 years ago — and one that continues to raise difficult questions about parole, rehabilitation, public protection and transparency.