JON VENABLES FACES NEW PAROLE HEARING — JAMES BULGER’S FAMILY SEEKS PUBLIC SCRUTINY OF DECISION

More than three decades after the murder of two-year-old James Bulger, Jon Venables is facing another parole hearing — reopening a painful chapter for James’ family.

Venables, now 43, was one of two 10-year-old boys convicted of abducting and murdering James in Merseyside in February 1993.

His latest parole hearing is expected to take place following a previous bid for release that was rejected in 2023.

Meanwhile, James’ family has asked for the upcoming hearing to be held in public, arguing that greater transparency could help them and the wider public understand how the decision about Venables’ future is reached.

A NEW PAROLE HEARING

The Parole Board confirmed in January that Venables would have another oral hearing more than two years after his previous application was rejected.

The 2023 panel concluded that he continued to pose a danger to children and could go on to offend again.

Venables was released on licence in 2001 after serving his minimum period in custody.

However, he 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 after another conviction involving indecent images of children.

His subsequent parole reviews have therefore remained closely watched by James’ family and the public.

JAMES BULGER’S FAMILY WANTS THE HEARING MADE PUBLIC

In August 2026, the Parole Board published details of applications seeking to have Venables’ upcoming oral hearing heard in public.

One application was submitted by Denise and Stuart Fergus.

A separate application was submitted by legal representatives for James’ father Ralph Bulger and his brother Jimmy Bulger.

The applications argue that the case has significant public interest because it involves the murder of a child, Venables’ later offending, repeated recalls to custody and complex questions surrounding risk management and release arrangements.

The applicants also argue that greater transparency could help address misinformation surrounding the case and allow victims’ families to better understand how parole decisions are made.

BUT A PUBLIC HEARING HAS NOT YET BEEN APPROVED

Despite the applications, the hearing has not been confirmed as public.

The Parole Board says the normal position is for parole hearings to remain private. Applications for public hearings are considered separately by the Chair of the Parole Board, who decides whether the interests of justice require a public hearing.

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

That means the request remains under consideration.

THE CASE THAT SHOCKED BRITAIN

James Bulger disappeared from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle on Feb. 12, 1993.

CCTV footage captured Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged 10, leading the toddler away from the shopping centre.

James was later found dead.

Venables and Thompson were convicted of his murder following a trial later that year.

Both boys were eventually released on licence in 2001 under lifelong anonymity protections.

Their identities remain protected because of the circumstances of their childhood convictions and the continuing risk associated with identifying them.

DENISE FERGUS FACES ANOTHER PAINFUL PROCESS

For James’ mother, Denise Fergus, each parole review has brought back memories of the loss of her son.

When news of the latest hearing emerged, her representatives said she had hoped for a change that would allow her greater peace and protection from further distress.

Instead, she was again required to confront the parole process surrounding the man convicted of killing her child.

Her application for a public hearing argues that transparency could help victims understand the decision-making process and provide greater confidence in the system.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The immediate issue is not whether Venables will be released, but whether the Parole Board will approve the request for a public hearing and, separately, what decision will ultimately be made about his parole.

A public hearing application and a parole application are two different processes.

The official Parole Board records currently show that the public-hearing request remains pending.

Whatever happens next, the case continues to carry enormous significance for James Bulger’s family, more than 30 years after the little boy was taken from his mother and killed.

For Denise Fergus and James’ relatives, another parole hearing means once again confronting a chapter of their lives they have never been able to leave behind.