JON VENABLES FACES A FRESH PAROLE HEARING — AND JAMES BULGER’S FAMILY WANTS THE PUBLIC TO HEAR IT

More than three decades after the murder of two-year-old James Bulger, his family is once again facing the possibility of a parole hearing for one of his killers.

Jon Venables is facing another parole review, reopening one of the most painful chapters in the history of the James Bulger case.

Venables was just 10 years old when he and Robert Thompson abducted and murdered two-year-old James in Merseyside in 1993.

Now, more than 30 years later, the case remains the subject of intense public interest.

ANOTHER PAROLE BID

Venables, now 43, was due to have his latest case considered by the Parole Board after his previous bid for release was rejected in 2023.

At that hearing, the Parole Board concluded that releasing him was not safe at that point and that he continued to pose a danger to children.

The new hearing is the latest stage in a long-running parole process.

The Parole Board has not publicly confirmed a specific hearing date in the reporting available from January 2026.

JAMES BULGER’S FAMILY IS INVOLVED

James’s mother, Denise Fergus, has been informed about the new parole proceedings.

The process has once again forced James’s family to confront the events surrounding his death and the possibility of a future decision about Venables’ release. ITV reported that Denise was granted permission to attend the hearing.

In 2026, there was also a legal dispute concerning whether James’s parents could attend and provide victim-impact statements, according to reporting by The Sun.

The issue has added another layer to an already highly sensitive parole process.

VENABLES HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN RECALLED TO PRISON

Venables was released on licence in 2001, after serving his minimum tariff.

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

He was released again in 2013, but was recalled to prison in 2017 after another offence involving indecent images of children.

His parole history has therefore remained a central part of subsequent reviews.

HIS IDENTITY REMAINS PROTECTED

One important detail surrounding the case has remained unchanged: Venables’ current identity and location are protected by a lifelong anonymity order.

That means reports about the parole process cannot lawfully identify where he currently lives or reveal his new identity.

The protection was maintained because of concerns about the potential consequences if his identity were exposed.

A FAMILY STILL LIVING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES

For James Bulger’s family, the parole process is not simply another legal proceeding.

It repeatedly brings them back to the events of 1993, when James was abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle and later found dead.

More than three decades have passed since James’s death, but each new parole development has continued to attract intense attention.

For now, the key question before the Parole Board is whether Venables should remain in custody or whether his circumstances have changed sufficiently for release to be considered safe.

Any final decision will be made through the parole process.

AND AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS, THE CASE OF JAMES BULGER CONTINUES TO RETURN TO THE HEADLINES — WITH HIS FAMILY STILL WATCHING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.