JON VENABLES FACES NEW PAROLE REVIEW AS JAMES BULGER’S PARENTS SEEK PUBLIC HEARING

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND — More than three decades after the killing of two-year-old James Bulger shocked Britain, the case of Jon Venables has returned to the spotlight as he faces another parole review.

Venables was just 10 years old when he and Robert Thompson abducted two-year-old James Bulger from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993.

The two boys were later convicted of James’s murder.

Now 43, Venables remains in prison after being recalled to custody twice following his release on licence. His latest parole review comes more than two years after his previous application was rejected.

The new review has also prompted James’s parents, Denise and Stuart Fergus, to seek greater transparency around the proceedings. They have applied for Venables’ parole hearing to be held in public.

THE 1993 MURDER OF JAMES BULGER

James was two years old when he was abducted from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle.

Venables and Thompson, both aged 10, led the toddler away from his mother, Denise Fergus, on February 12, 1993.

James was subsequently taken to an area near a railway line, where he was killed.

The case became one of Britain’s most widely known criminal cases, in part because of the extremely young ages of both the victim and the two boys responsible.

Venables and Thompson were eventually sentenced to detention during Her Majesty’s pleasure, the legal equivalent at the time of an indefinite sentence for a child convicted of murder.

They were released on licence in 2001, after serving about eight years in custody, and were given lifelong anonymity and new identities because of their age when they committed the crime.

VENABLES WAS LATER RECALLED TO PRISON

Venables’ life after release later became the subject of further criminal proceedings.

In 2010, he was recalled to prison after indecent images of children were discovered on his computer. He was later released again in 2013.

In 2017, he was recalled to custody for a second time after again being found in possession of indecent images of children.

Those subsequent offences have remained a significant part of the parole authorities’ assessment of his case.

HIS 2023 PAROLE BID WAS REJECTED

Venables previously appeared before the Parole Board in 2023.

The panel rejected his application for release, saying it was not satisfied that releasing him at that point would be safe for the protection of the public.

The decision cited concerns about his ability to be open and honest with professionals and said further work was required to address outstanding risks.

The panel also expressed concern about continuing issues relating to his sexual preoccupation and the potential risk of further offending involving child-abuse material or contact with children.

That decision kept Venables in prison.

He was subsequently given another opportunity to seek parole, with ITV reporting in January 2026 that his case would return to the Parole Board for another oral hearing.

As of the latest publicly available information, no date has been confirmed for the new hearing.

JAMES BULGER’S PARENTS WANT THE HEARING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The latest development has centered on transparency.

In August 2026, the Parole Board published details of an application from Denise and Stuart Fergus asking for Venables’ upcoming oral hearing to be held in public.

Their application argues that the case has significant public interest and that a public hearing could help people better understand how parole decisions are made.

They also argue that greater transparency could help address misinformation surrounding the case and allow victims and their families to better understand the decision-making process.

The application points to the unusual circumstances of the case, including the fact that Venables committed the original offense as a child and later committed further offenses as an adult.

The family has also argued that a public hearing would allow the parole process to be examined more openly, including how evidence, professional assessments and risk-management plans are considered.

A separate application has also been made on behalf of other members of James Bulger’s family. That application similarly calls for greater transparency and argues that the exceptional history of the case warrants public scrutiny.

WHY THE HEARING MATTERS

Under the current parole system in England and Wales, hearings are normally held in private.

However, the Parole Board can allow a hearing to be made public in certain circumstances when it considers that doing so would be in the interests of justice.

The board says privacy remains the normal position because witnesses need to be able to provide evidence openly and honestly.

Applications for public hearings are considered separately from the actual parole decision.

In Venables’ case, the question of whether the hearing itself will be open to the public therefore remains separate from the question of whether he will ultimately be released.

NO RELEASE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE

At present, there is no public decision that Venables will be released.

There is also no confirmed date for his next parole hearing.

The Parole Board will have to consider evidence relating to his current circumstances, conduct in custody, risk assessments and plans for managing any potential risk in the community before making a decision.

The 2023 panel previously concluded that further risk-related work was necessary before release could safely be considered.

A FAMILY STILL LIVING WITH JAMES’ LOSS

For Denise Fergus, the upcoming review brings back memories of the loss of her two-year-old son more than 30 years ago.

James was killed in 1993, but his name continues to be closely associated with debates about child protection, juvenile justice, rehabilitation and parole in Britain.

The latest application for a public hearing reflects the family’s desire to have greater visibility into a process that could once again determine whether Venables remains in custody.

For the Bulger family, the issue is not simply an old criminal case returning to the headlines.

It is connected to the continuing consequences of losing a child whose life ended when he was only two years old.

Venables’ next parole review will therefore be closely watched.

But for now, no hearing date has been officially confirmed, no public-hearing application decision has been announced, and no decision has been made to release him.