JAMES BULGER’S MUM MAKES FRESH BID TO MAKE JON VENABLES PAROLE HEARING PUBLIC

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has made a fresh bid to have the parole hearing of Jon Venables heard in public — saying the killer should finally have to “face up” to his offending.

Denise Fergus, together with her husband Stuart Fergus, has formally applied for Venables’ upcoming parole hearing to be held in public.

The move could bring unprecedented scrutiny to the latest attempt to determine whether Venables should be released from prison.

The Parole Board confirmed in August that it had received the application. The board has not yet announced whether the request will be granted.

‘FACE UP TO HIS OFFENDING’

In their application, Denise and Stuart argue that the case has exceptional public interest and that a public hearing could help people understand how parole decisions are made.

They also say greater transparency could help address misinformation surrounding the case — something they believe continues to have a deeply distressing impact.

Most significantly, the couple argue that Venables should have to face up to his offending through a public hearing, particularly because of his later convictions as an adult.

They say public scrutiny would allow the parole process, including the assessment of risk and plans for any potential release, to be properly understood.

The couple added that, if the application is approved, they would finally feel that they had been listened to and said they were prepared for the hearing to take place in public.

A CASE THAT HAS NEVER REALLY LEFT THE HEADLINES

Venables and Robert Thompson were both 10 years old when they abducted and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in Merseyside in 1993.

The case shocked Britain and became one of the country’s most notorious criminal cases.

Both boys were eventually released on life licences after serving time in secure accommodation.

Venables was later recalled to custody after child sexual abuse material was found on his computer. He was released again before being recalled for a second time in 2017 after another offence involving such material.

He has remained in custody since then.

DENISE FERGUS TO ATTEND THE HEARING

Denise Fergus has previously been granted permission to observe Venables’ latest parole proceedings.

She has repeatedly spoken about her opposition to his release and has argued that repeated breaches of licence conditions should have serious consequences.

The upcoming hearing is therefore not simply another parole review for the Bulger family.

For Denise, it represents another confrontation with the man responsible for one of the most traumatic events of her life.

THE PUBLIC MAY STILL HAVE TO WAIT

Despite the application, there is no confirmed decision yet that the hearing will be public.

The Parole Board invited representations on the request, with the deadline for submissions set for August 14, 2026.

The board will ultimately decide whether the exceptional circumstances of the case justify opening the hearing to the public.

For now, one question hangs over the case:

Will Jon Venables finally face his latest parole hearing under the full scrutiny of the public — or will the proceedings remain behind closed doors?

Whatever the decision, the case continues to reopen painful memories for James Bulger’s family more than three decades after the toddler’s murder.