James Bulgers mother, Denise, was able to locate Robert Thompson in 2004 but was paralyzed with hatred and could not confront him. Updated: 15:25 ET, Sep 29 2021 ROBERT Thompson abducted and tortured to death two-year-old James Bulger alongside his partner in crime Jon Venables when they were just ten years old. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. "But he has duped them once too often and now they have ruled against him. However, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern issued a short and sharp response to reports Venables could apply to relocate to the country. In 2010, he was imprisoned for downloading images depicting various kinds of sexual abuse being inflicted upon male toddlers. Malcolm Croft/PA Images/Getty ImagesJames Bulgers parents, pictured one day before their child was found dead. Now the tide has turned and finally he is facing real prison time where he should have been from the beginning., *Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger airs tonight on Channel 5 at 9pm and continues at the same time on Thursday, Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. The judge said: [Venables] is uniquely notorious and there is a strong possibility, if not a probability, that if his identity were known he would be pursued resulting in grave and possibly fatal consequences.. In addition, they thought that the kidnappers mightve been 13 or 14 years old, which threw them off track. They spotted Bulger in a butcher shop and grabbed him. But most did nothing and those that stopped and questioned the James Bulger killers soon enough let them go on their way to ultimately murder the toddler. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? It was the second time she had attempted to post information purportedly about Venables, the . The murder captivated the nation as people wondered what would motivate two 10-year-olds to abduct and murder a defenseless toddler. They went out that day to kill I truly believe that. But in 1993, these two British boys became cold-blooded killers and murdered a toddler. By 4:15 PM, however, there was no sign of James Bulger and he was reported missing to the local police station. After bringing in Thompson and Jon Venables for questioning, Phil said: As far as Im concerned that day 20 years ago I stared evil in the face. Toddler James Bulger disappeared on February 12 1993. Rape survivor slams Gabby Petito Utah cop over handling of her case, 'Dark details' about boyfriend of US swim champ who mysteriously died, Disturbing red flags of Lindsay Clancy's psychosis before she 'killed 3 kids', Mysterious powder swamps US skies as residents report dust-covered cars, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Jon Venables was ten years old when he was arrested for the torture and murder of two-year-old James Bulger, Chilling CCTV shows the moment James was led away from his parents, Venables was jailed for two years in 2010 after he admitted downloading and distributing indecent images of children, James Bulger killer Jon Venables charged over indecent images of children. The. A freak of nature. [Robert Thompson and Jon Venables] now 18, were sent to secure units in November 1993, after they were found guilty of abducting two-year old James Bulger and beating him to death, the Home Office has announced today that they will be freed after serving less than nine years of their sentence. But in November 2017, Jon Venables was again imprisoned when more child abuse images and a pedophile manual that provided instructions on having sex with kids were discovered on his computer. In Channel 5's two-part documentary Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger, one of the investigators who questioned Thompson said the young boy was "street smart" and "clever," and said the ten-year-old was "trying very, very hard to con me.". After bringing in Thompson and Jon Venables for questioning, Phil said: As far as Im concerned that day 20 years ago I stared evil in the face. Venables was still on strict probation following his 2001 release from prison. Speaking at the time, he said: "(Venables) is 'uniquely notorious' and there is a strong possibility, if not a probability, that if his identity were known he would be pursued resulting in grave and possibly fatal consequences. As the jury foreman read the verdict, Venables and Thompson were sitting in an adult court dock that had been altered so that the boys could see over it. The twisted child killer, now aged 39, took the youngster from a shopping centre along with friend Robert Thompson, before the baby's dead body by a railway track. During the murder trial in November 1993, Thompson was depicted as the leader, and Venables the follower. A 2015 interview with James Bulgers mother. Jons first brush with authorities after his release came after a bar brawl in 2008. After questioning Thompson and Venables, Detective Phil Roberts said, As far as Im concerned that day I stared evil in the face., Roberts continued, They were a match made in hell. Sometimes you feel like youre having a heart attack, he said at the time. A freak of nature. Youve got enormous burdens to carry around.. His father had abandoned the family early on, causing his depressed mother to turn to alcohol and even attempt suicide. After luring the toddler away from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables kidnapped, tormented, and murdered him in 1993. Meanwhile, after Venables, Thompson, and Bulger had left the mall, the toddler began crying out for his mother. They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. But on that fateful day, the two boys would take their crimes to a horrific new level by kidnapping and killing a child. His body had been severed in two by a train. Though they were known to be rule-breakers, they mostly dabbled in low-level criminal activity, like stealing small items from stores and throwing them down mall escalators. Both boys were soon arrested, and it didnt take long for them to turn on each other. Popular disgust only intensified when witnesses and the media noted Thompsons cold, seemingly remorseless behavior at trial (compared with Venables hysterical outbursts). Venables' new identity has been changed twice after he told friends he was a convicted murderer. In 2006, reports claimed Thompson was in a stable gay relationship at age 23 and had settled well into his local community in the North West. The murder of two-year-old James Bulger shocked Britain. Both of them served their eight-year sentences and earned release from prison in 2001 after they each had turned 18. Witnesses would later testify in court that they saw a crying Bulger being dragged along the two-and-a-half-mile route between the Strand and the railroad tracks where he would be eventually found. Menu. By all accounts, Venables and Thompson showed no violent or aberrant behavior in prison but instead served their time for the James Bulger murder quietly and without incident. The child murderers were sent to a. On the outside, he finds it difficult to make friends or gain employment and he seeks out drink, sex and pornography as a way of adding excitement to this life and thats a potent mix.. AT just ten years old, Jon Venables callously abducted and murdered James Bulger, 2, in 1993 in a case that sent shockwaves through the UK and the rest of the world. These boys asked who the toddler was and Venables replied that he was Thompsons brother and that they were taking him home. Jon Venables pictured using a mobile phone, a questionable activity given his inability to maintain anonymity. Many of them would later express regret for not doing anything. "Mr Venables had also experienced difficulties relating to employment. The toddler had gone missing two days before from the Strand shopping center, where Bulger was in the care of his mother. In September 2013, Venables was released from prison after a parole board approved the move two months before. James Bulgers father Ralph said he could rest easy as one of his sons killers was refused parole, but feared he would re-offend if he was ever released. In Channel 5's two-part documentary Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger, one of the investigators who questioned Thompson said the young boy was "street smart" and "clever," and said the ten-year-old was "trying very, very hard to con me.". Sometimes Bulger ran ahead, leaving Venables and Thompson to beckon him back with calls of Come on, baby.. The 36-year-old has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old. The UK's Ministry of Justice repeatedly declined to comment on claims. At 18 years old, Venables and Thompson were both released from a young offenders institution under licence in June 2001. Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. In this case, it was just eight years, at which time the boys would be 18. In the wake of removing the baby from a mall in Bootle, Merseyside, two 10-year-old young men grabbed and killed him in 1993. tvguidetime.com The paint was showered in his eyes, blocks were flung at him, he was kicked, and batteries were embedded in his mouth. Eventually, Venables and Thompson placed Bulgers dead body (a forensic pathologist later concluded that he was dead at this point) across the train tracks, in hopes of making the whole thing look like an accident, and abandoned the scene before a train came along and severed the toddler in two. But when the police eventually saw the CCTV footage from the shopping mall, they could not believe their eyes. Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. The report noted he had displayed "positive behaviour" since being locked up, but felt a "lack of fulfilment in life" and had a "need for excitement". Malcolm Croft PA Images/PA Images via Getty ImagesThe parents of James Bulger, Denise and Ralph, at a police press conference in Liverpool the day after their son disappeared. James Bulger being kidnapped by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, as seen on CCTV footage. "This is, therefore, a wholly exceptional case and the evidence in 2019 is more than sufficient to sustain the conclusion that there continues to be a real risk of very substantial harm to (Venables). And so Bulger slipped away from safety once again. What about his mum, will you tell her Im sorry?. Clickhereto upload yours. A judge sentenced the pair to detention which ended when the pair hit eighteen. He is a dangerous, predatory child abuser and killer, and I am terrified he will harm another child like my James,Ralph said. A two-year-old James Bulger was kidnapped and killed by the ten-year-old Robert Thompson and his partner Jon Venables. Given that key areas of risk remained subject to continuing interventions, the panel considered that Mr Venables was appropriately located in custody where outstanding levels of risk could be addressed. Both Robert Thompson and Jon Venables had rough early years. But the President of the Family Division Sir Andrew McFarlane rejected the bid, saying it was in place to protect Venables from being "put to death". Venables and Thompson were both charged. They first attempted to lure a three-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother away from their mother. Venables, Thompson, and Bulger then walked into two different stores where they interacted with both shopkeepers who, though suspicious of the older boys, let them go. James Bulger was not the first child that the pair tried to abduct. With some evidence in hand and the knowledge that the James Bulger killers were likely two children, the police checked nearby schools absentee lists for the day of the disappearance. The mother quickly found her daughter, but there was no sign of her son. By this time, Denise was panicking. And in the time between when that image was captured and when James Bulger was killed in a railway embankment a few miles away, the three boys had been seen walking around the area by dozens of people. The reports said that Robert is openly gay and is in a long-term relationship with a partner who knows his real identity. Authorities gave Robert and Jon new identities and released them into society under strict supervision. Such was the shocking story of two 10-year-old's, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson from England, who killed and mutilated the body of 2-year-old James Bulger.. On that fateful day, the troubled boys were skipping school and wandering around a busy mall, stealing sweets . With little to go on, Bulgers parents were suspects initially. An official Parole Board summary explained why Venables, who was said to use "sex and pornography as a means of coping", was not deemed safe to be released from jail. But during separate police interviews, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson turned on each other. And if they hadnt been caught I fear they would have struck again.. Though Venables father was still in the picture, his mother was known to be harsh toward the young boy. His health struggles detailed, Martina McClures story: Her injury and recovery, How did Simon Dunn die? Dr. AT just ten years old, Jon Venables callously abducted and murdered James Bulger, 2, in 1993 in a case that sent shockwaves through the UK and the rest of the world. A woman passing by noticed Bulger but did nothing. What befell James Bulger? At first, they announced the boys name over the malls loudspeakers. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. She turned to drink and fell into depression, as well as allegedly trying to take her own life with an overdose. Though both boys had killed Bulger, Roberts believed that Thompson was in charge. And Roberts wasnt the only one. One person even saw Thompson kick Bulger in the ribs for resisting. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". But unfortunately, their story didnt end in 1993. After serving three years, he was released on parole. Footage of the boy's two abductors was released to the public by police. Both boys were ordered to be imprisoned until review when they turned 18. Nearly twenty years later, Ralph became a father again. Ive had urges, inquisitive.Mr. Justice Edis sentenced Venables to 40 months in prison, saying:The children depicted were often very young and vulnerable, there is discernible pain and distress suffered.. To this day, the motive still remains unclear. 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