JAMES BULGER’S FATHER FURIOUS AS JON VENABLES FACES NEW PAROLE HEARING

Ralph Bulger calls private hearing an “insult” as the man convicted over his son’s death makes another bid for release

The father of murdered toddler James Bulger has spoken out in anger after it was confirmed that Jon Venables’ latest parole hearing will take place behind closed doors.

Ralph Bulger, now 59, has criticized the decision to keep the hearing private, saying the family’s feelings have once again been pushed aside as Venables prepares to ask for release from prison.

Venables, now 44, was one of two 10-year-old boys convicted over the death of two-year-old James in Merseyside in 1993. He is now facing another parole review, more than two years after his previous bid for freedom was rejected.

RALPH BULGER: “IT’S AN INSULT”

Speaking to The Sun, Ralph said he was “absolutely raging” over the decision to hold the hearing privately.

He described the decision as an insult to James and his family, arguing that the family had previously been given assurances that they would be able to attend the proceedings.

James’ mother, Denise Fergus, had also campaigned for the hearing to be made public.

The family argued that greater transparency could help counter misinformation surrounding the case and allow the public to better understand how parole decisions are made.

PAROLE BOARD REJECTS PUBLIC HEARING

The Parole Board officially rejected the application for a public hearing on September 28.

The decision came after applications from Denise and Stuart Fergus, as well as representatives of James and Ralph Bulger, who argued that the case was exceptional because of its history, Venables’ later offending, repeated recalls to prison and the wider public interest surrounding his potential release.

However, the Board concluded that the high threshold required for a public hearing had not been met.

One of the key concerns was Venables’ safety.

The Board said making the hearing public could make it extremely difficult for him to give evidence safely because people seeking information about his identity or whereabouts could potentially listen to the proceedings.

JAMES’ FAMILY WILL STILL BE ABLE TO OBSERVE

Although the hearing will not be open to the general public, reforms introduced this year allow victims to attend private parole hearings in certain circumstances.

Denise Fergus has been granted permission to observe the hearing, meaning James’ family will still have an opportunity to follow the proceedings and provide their views.

However, the family had argued that simply being allowed to observe was not equivalent to a genuinely public hearing.

They wanted the parole process to be subject to greater scrutiny because of the exceptional history of the case.

VENABLES’ PREVIOUS PAROLE BID WAS REJECTED

This is not Venables’ first attempt to secure release.

His previous parole application was rejected in 2023 after the Parole Board concluded that he continued to pose a danger and could go on to offend again.

Venables was initially released on licence in 2001, but was recalled to prison in 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer.

He was released again in 2013 before being recalled for a second time in 2017 following another offence involving indecent images of children.

His latest parole review therefore comes after a complicated history of release, recall and further offending.

THE 1993 CASE THAT SHOCKED BRITAIN

James Bulger was just two years old when he was abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993.

Venables and Robert Thompson were both 10 at the time.

The case became one of the most widely known child-crime cases in modern British history, and the identities of both offenders have been protected by lifelong anonymity orders following their release from custody.

Venables has spent much of his adult life under strict legal protections because of the continuing security risks surrounding his identity.

NO DECISION ON RELEASE HAS BEEN MADE

The private hearing does not mean Venables has been granted parole.

The Parole Board still has to consider evidence about his current risk, rehabilitation, behaviour in custody and whether he can safely be managed in the community.

The outcome of the hearing has not yet been announced.

For James Bulger’s family, however, the latest development has reopened painful memories of a case that has remained part of their lives for more than three decades.

And as Venables prepares to make another bid for freedom, James’ parents are once again waiting for a decision that could profoundly affect them.