JON VENABLES FACES ANOTHER PAROLE BID — AND JAMES BULGER’S MOTHER IS STILL FIGHTING

More than three decades after two-year-old James Bulger was abducted and killed, his mother Denise Fergus is once again facing the painful parole process surrounding Jon Venables — while pushing for greater transparency over the latest hearing.

More than 30 years after a case that shocked Britain and drew worldwide attention, Jon Venables is once again at the center of a parole review.

Venables, now 43, was one of two 10-year-old boys convicted over the killing of two-year-old James Bulger in Merseyside in 1993.

His latest parole hearing comes after a previous bid for freedom was rejected in 2023. At that time, the Parole Board concluded that his release could not safely be managed in the community. ITV reported that the panel found he still posed a danger to children and could go on to offend again.

For James’ mother, Denise Fergus, the latest hearing has reopened a trauma she has carried for decades.

A CASE THAT NEVER LEFT THE HEADLINES

James was abducted in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993 by Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged 10 at the time.

The two boys were later convicted and eventually released on licence with new identities after serving their sentences in secure youth accommodation.

Venables was released in 2001.

But his time in the community did not mark the end of the controversy surrounding the case.

He was recalled to prison in 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer. He was later released again before being recalled for a second time in 2017 in connection with the same type of offending.

Those later offences have become a major part of the continuing debate over whether he should ever be released again.

DENISE FERGUS WANTS ANSWERS

In January, Denise Fergus spoke publicly about the emotional toll of preparing for another parole hearing.

She has also called for a change in the law that would prevent offenders who repeatedly breach licence conditions from receiving further opportunities for release.

Speaking to ITV, Fergus said she believes Venables remains a serious risk and questioned why repeated breaches should not have greater consequences.

For Denise, the parole process is not simply a legal procedure.

It forces her to repeatedly revisit the loss of her son.

She has previously described the hearings as mentally draining, but said she feels compelled to take part because she wants to continue fighting for James.

THE FAMILY WANTS THE HEARING TO BE PUBLIC

The latest development has brought a new issue into focus: transparency.

The Parole Board confirmed in August that it had received an application from Denise and Stuart Fergus asking for Venables’ oral hearing to be held in public.

Their application argues that the case has significant public interest and that greater transparency could help the public understand how parole decisions are made.

They also argue that public scrutiny could help counter misinformation surrounding the case and allow victims and their families to better understand the decision-making process.

A separate application was also submitted by the legal representative of James and his brother Ralph Bulger.

That application highlighted the exceptional nature of the case, including James’ killing, Venables’ later offending, repeated recalls to custody and the complex issues surrounding anonymity, risk management and release arrangements.

The applications argue that a public or hybrid hearing could allow sensitive information to remain private while still providing greater public scrutiny.

BUT THE HEARING HAS NOT YET BEEN DECLARED PUBLIC

Importantly, the request for a public hearing does not mean the hearing has been opened to the public.

The Parole Board’s official records currently list the Venables application among pending applications for public hearings.

The latest application from James Bulger’s family had a deadline for representations of September 10, 2026.

The Parole Board will have to consider the submissions before deciding whether the hearing should be made public.

That decision is separate from the question of whether Venables should ultimately be released.

A PREVIOUS REQUEST WAS REJECTED

This is not the first time the public-hearing issue has arisen.

In 2023, an application to make Venables’ parole hearing public was rejected by the Chair of the Parole Board.

The Board’s published decision also emphasizes that the central question in a parole case is whether a prisoner’s risk can be safely managed in the community, with public protection remaining the primary concern.

The current process takes place under updated transparency rules introduced in 2026, under which the Parole Board invites representations from the public when an application is made for a hearing to be opened.

FOR DENISE, THE FIGHT HAS NEVER REALLY ENDED

James Bulger was only two years old when his life was taken.

For his mother, the passage of more than three decades has not erased the pain.

Instead, every new parole review brings the case back into the public spotlight — and forces Denise to confront the same questions once again.

There is currently no confirmed decision that Venables will be released, and the application for a public hearing remains under consideration.

But one thing remains clear: for Denise Fergus, the fight surrounding James’ memory, justice and protection of other children is far from over.

And once again, the world is watching what happens next.