his killers were just 10 years old and attention focused on their upbringing and dysfunctional home life. 'It's always our family that gets the blame,' Robert said to police after he was arrested for James's murder. Get out and get into Dyson Hall children's centre, the only residential care school in the country just outside Liverpool. . He was repulsed because he found Robert's disdain for authority scary. "The age of criminal responsibility in this country is 10 that's too low. After spending just eight years in custody, Britain's youngest killers were released and given lifetime anonymity in the UK. 2023 BBC. They sat just feet from me, perched on the edge of their wooden seat, smartly dressed and hunched in shame just below their son, Jon. Although not officially entered into a witness protection programme they were given help by the authorities in finding new homes and taking on new identities. I wish we could turn the clocks back," Mrs Venables said. During the trial she said: "Yes, he did tell some lies, but he also told the truth about one thing from beginning to end - he did not kill that baby. His new identity had been compromised at his place of work, and the police came in a hurry to take him into protective custody. He was also given 'respite care' - six weekly weekend breaks to relieve the family of the burden of looking after him. Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. this weekend for breaching the terms of his early release, the parents of both the Bulger killers continue to stand by them. Mrs Venables walked around the area for hours, searching for him. They didnt kill him in an accident it was premeditated and they tortured that poor baby. 'If, in their own lives, they have had it extremely tough and been bullied and neglected and abused then they end up rapidly having to prove themselves to be extremely tough and invulnerable - a bit like Arnold Shwarzenegger in The Terminator. Directly in front of the bench was the raised dock in which Thompson, Venables, and two social workers would sit for the next four weeks. I wasnt on duty that day, so the very beginnings of the story washed over me. Meghan Markle's estranged family share unseen photo she 'never wanted the world to see'. 'I sat away from him - he caused trouble,' Jon said. Guilty of abducting and murdering James PatrickBulger. We know what hes capable of. The case of James, a two-year-old who was snatched from a shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool, in 1993, before being tortured and left to die, shocked the nation. Their age was hard to gauge from the CCTV images, so just when you imagined you couldnt be more shocked by this story, it emerged the two accused were just 10-years-old. - Volume 113 Issue 502. At the time Ann Thompson pleaded for her son to be left alone and revealed that she and her other children had been forced to move house nine times in eight years. Jon was afraid of her. Security launched a search for James inside the centre and James' family searched for their son overnight. When she turned around moments later, her son was gone. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. She would arrive at the secure unit with food parcels and is said to be proud of his achievements since the crime. Jon Venables said the class teacher tried to entice Robert by offering him a prize for a week's continual attendance - he did, but the prize never came. ", Neil added: "I feel for that family. In court, he hid his face again. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. 'I couldn't hear anything,' she said. Consumer champion Which? The living versions on the floor of the court looked equally wrinkled and austere. They were intent on killing. Just as Venables's confession convicted him, a shoe print belonging to Robert Thompson, found on James cheekbone, confirmed his guilt, too. Ann Thompson and Susan and Neil Venables didn't need to imagine. Then they had carried, dragged and kicked him along a two and a half mile journey, at times swinging him violently in the air or dropping him against the road, until they reached the railway where they stoned him with bricks, bashed his head with a 22lb iron bar, and left him dead across the tracks to be cut in half by a passing goods train. Thompson admitted nothing. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? To widespread dismay and condemnation from the Bulger family, the killers were given new identities, courtesy of the taxpayer. When Jon left home on the morning of Friday, February 12 he was happy because it was the last day of school before a week's holiday and he was going to take some pet gerbils home. Paul Russell claimed to be terrified of murderer Thomas Cashman at Liverpool Crown Court. ', They sagged off in the afternoon and walked around the shops in County Road, near Walton. Then they would hide their school satchels under a subway and set off on their adventure. He had an elder brother, aged 13, and a nine-year-old sister. I don't think so. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. There was almost total silence there apart from the sound of shoes on the ground. The real question about Meghans new look: did Harry actually notice? For other inquiries, Contact Us. Two Ayrshire seaside towns named worst in Scotland as top coastal destinations announced. But that is the common lot of thousands of 10-year-olds who have not turned into murderers. In 2010, Meggie Atkinson, then children's commissioner for England, called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 12 in light of the trial. 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Born 10 days apart in August 1982 in Liverpool. Unemployment levels were more than twice the national average in Walton. Mrs Thompson claimed she had been the victim of revenge attacks after her identity became known. On November 24, 1993, the two boys, by then aged 11, became the youngest defendants to be sentenced for murder in a British court. Following the arrest of their sons it was reported that the mothers of the boys had been attacked and vilified in. In 1999, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the pair did not receive a fair trial and awarded costs and expenses of 29,000 to Jon Venables and 15,000 to Robert Thompson. The 44-year-old has led the Dons to seven wins on the spin and in pole position for third place in the league. The case is doomed to be picked over by every faction within the caring professionals and politics. Venables and Thompson told passers-by that the distressed toddler was their younger brother or that he was lost and they were taking him to a local police station. At the end of the street a mesh wire frame coverered the window of the money lenders. A newspaper man from Detroit said it was because 'Liverpool is the Beatles and love, love, love. Less thanfive hours laterthe verdicts were in. TWO-year-old James Bulger was tortured and killed by schoolboys in a crime that shocked Britain. IN A letter to her son written soon after he was sentenced, Ann Thompson wrote: no matter what you did or didnt do, Im your mother and I will stay with you no matter what happens.. See that cell. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Her husband came back to Walton now and again to see his mother, but he never came to see the boys. It was a sign of such restlessness that he was unable to hang on to a football team for long - he kept shifting his allegiance like a floating voter. 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. At his first primary school the headmistress referred him to a psychologist, noting how he used to bang his head against the classroom wall to gain attention. They poured modelling paint into his eyes, stoned him and clubbed him with bricks, before leaving him on the railway line to be hit by a train. I have cried for JamesBulgermany times, so God only knows the tears his parents and family have shed. 'It was very dark and I shouted down, shouted his name. Hyperactive children can't sit still all day,' Mrs Venables said. He liked to spend the weekend on the streets. Twenty-five years on, Im still prone to hot tears at the memory of it all and I do question the trial. Doctor discovered her own stage four cancer after experiencing two 'mild' symptoms. Venables has been convicted twice since being set free - Robert is not believed to have reoffended. It has already been reported that Jon Venables real identity has been exposed in prison, where he is said to be receiving 24-hour protection. In some families this was the third generation to be unemployed. He said he was frightened of Robert's older brother. From their point of view it makes perfect sense. In contrast he has had no contact with his father despite an approach soon after sentencing. 'America is the land of shopping malls. His mother cared about him. For she added: 'But he's not a murderer.'. el diablo food truck fort collins. In the years between Venabless first return to prison and this latest conviction he was deemed to be living successfully in the community, when in fact he was working out ways to dodge his internet ban and hiding a computer in his headboard in order to download abusive images of children, including what the judge described this week as serious crimes inflicted on male toddlers. They would hang around the video shop in Walton Village where the shop girl was pleased to have their company. I don't think they understood he was hyperactive. Extraordinarily, she even shouted up to the railway tracks at Walton where she knew Robert had a den. In return, Jon would let Robert ride his bicycle, and from time to time he would suggest naughty deeds himself. When they abducted, tortured, and eventually killed James, age 2, and dumped his body by a railroad track in Liverpool 25 years ago, Venables, now 40, and Robert Thompson, then 10, were both 10 years old. For his parents, the fact they were children was actually a cause for hope at that point. But after a year they let Ian out again. The footballers were on separate night outs at Chinawhite Manchester in early April when Rashford rescued Lehmann upon her arrival at the venue. It worked. 'I was the softie,' Neil Venables said. yet, as Venables is back behind bars. Once they went into a home decoration shop and hid under a pile of carpets. One could draw some parallels between the film's plot and James Bulger's death. Superintendent Kirby is a religious man. By now the two boys from Walton were part of an international freak show. It was the kind of family neighbours compare themselves against and then feel better. So he came home. He also liked to scare old ladies by jumping out in front of their noses. Some people thought they were as old as 12 or 13, but when they met they were both only 10 years old. Explore genealogy for Susan Venables born 1909 Devon, England, United Kingdom including ancestors + more in the free family tree community. We pay for your stories! 'The attitude when you live where we live is that you have to be tough or else you don't survive,' she said. The suspect was waiting outside Scotmid on Tullichewan Drive, Alexandria, when staff opened the doors at 7am. Many of us had dined together most nights throughout the trial, mulling it all over but distracting ourselves, too. Jon's first year after he was moved was relatively successful. Counsel for the prosecution, Richard Henriques QC, made it clear all three elements needed to be proved for a murder conviction. The toddler's mum Denise Bulger was at the counter of a butchers in the Strand shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool, on February 12, 1993, when she briefly let go of her son's hand to get some change from her purse. Moments later, we were told, Jon Venables uttered the words, We did it. He had that odd combination of obsession with and disdain for possessions that is characteristic of children who have never enjoyed any of their own. This time we came together in shock and disbelief. But they shouldn't have been tried in an adult court because they were still children. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". But viewers were shocked when experts "defended" the 10-year-old murderers saying they made "an awful mistake". Two outwardly unremarkable ten-year-old boys began the day by playing truant and ended it running an errand for the local video shop. After they became friends he initiated Jon into the delights of climbing into people's back gardens and the consequent thrill of being chased out by the owners. Denise Bulger believes her son's murderers - men now - should be in prison for ever. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, James was just two when he was brutally murdered by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, Chilling CCTV shows the moment James Bulger was led away from his mum, Jon Venables was ten years old when he was arrested for the torture and murder of two-year-old James, Robert Thompson and Venables became Britain's youngest killers for 250 years, Denise Fergus talks about the lack of punishment for Jon Venables and Robert Thompson on Loose Women. Susan Venables' son, Jon, is currently awaiting release from the secure unit where he has been held for the past eight years. Another added: "An awful mistake??!! We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. He was a loyal fan, though he did not go often to Goodison Park. 'Provided you have no court orders for debts already,' the man on the phone would add helpfully. You know, we just try and help him as best we can to try to come to terms with things. When Jon's parents gave a recent press interview, it was Mrs Venables who did most of the talking; the father just sat and cried. In search of an explanation, award-winning journalist David James Smith looks behind the misinformation, misunderstanding and sensational reporting to an exact . susan venables Director at Juju & Co Greater Sydney Area 122 followers 114 connections Join to view profile Juju & Co Macquarie University Websites Activity Greetings from the Rajbari Bawali . He would often have to stay in class at break times to catch up. 'I thought he was all right,' said Boy B, as he was known in court - Jon Venables. It was another derby defeat for Beale who is yet to crack the code on how to get the better of Celtic. Buy Keepsake. Mr Bulger called for Venables secret new identity to be revealed for the safety of the public. A smell of bleach lingered on some of the tiled steps that led up to the front doors. Chris Davies worked alongside Rodgers at Parkhead before following him to Leicester City. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? For me, though, it is Susan and Neil Venables who stay most in my memory of that day. Donald Trump to visit Scottish golf courses in first UK trip since 2019. Once Robert shared with him a tin of Roses chocolates which he had poured surreptitiously into his coat pocket. "An awful mistake for 10 year olds is shoplifting not murdering a 2 year old FFS," another angry viewer tweeted. Baby who had heart surgery at two months carried over Glasgow Kiltwalk finish line by dad, Liam Campbell pushed 14-month-old Rosie in pram over three-mile route in her pram before holding her aloft for last 100 yards, BP and Shell set to announce more 'obscene' profits as energy giants rake in billions from oil. Main Menu Recently, I dug out my old notebooks of the trial and my handwriting during the verdicts says it all. School had no hold on him - there was no corporal punishment or other form of penalty that touched him. Thank you Tracey Armitage for sharing on Hospital Hub exciting news that David HANCOCK will be joining Highland Marketing as an associate. Reporters from around the world ended up in the drab streets of Walton, cadging interviews off any 10-year-old boys hanging around in the streets. The pair was tried for the abduction and murder of James as adults owing to the fact they were over 10, which is legally deemed to be the age of criminal responsibility. WALTON, where they both lived, is, in the jargon of planning, an inner-city urban priority area; neither the best nor the worst the city has to offer. Since his 14-year-old brother, Phillip , had already tried to stab him, the social services agreed. The Radio Merseyside newsroom, where I was working at the time, was full and everyone was on this story one way or another. 'When the fisticuffs ended, they made friends.' Witness after witness who had seen them, or stopped and asked them what was going on, took the stand. Find out more, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, As James Bulger killer Jon Venables is sent back to prison, Shelagh Fogarty writes about her experiences as a young reporter on the case at the time, James Bulger, aged 2 years old, being led away in the New Strand shopping centre in the Bootle area of Liverpool, Denise Bulger arrives at Preston Crown Couty on November 24 1993, Shelagh Fogarty was a young reporter at the time of the murder, The police van carrying Venables and Thompson arrives at Preston Crown Court, Want to have children and a big career? . enneagram type 4 relationship compatibility Your Cart -$ 0.00; sono bello before and after On Sundays he used to watch Thunderbirds. 557. IN their interviews with the two boys, psychiatrists could find no clues to why the boys acted so violently. A heartstopping moment came when the playing of the tapes in court was paused. Kids fantasise about such things. At Radio City in Liverpool the calls were coming through from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He believes these were evil boys. How could two small boys savage and leave a toddler for dead? Her warnings arent being heeded, but 25 years on, I think she is probably right. His mother and father's naive words on their son's involvement in the horrific murder now make for disturbing reading, as the paedophile pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possessing more than 1,000 indecent images of children and a "paedo manual". release. "Just to let you know that even though footage was used of me on the CH4 programme, I had no part in it," she tweeted. The Americans fed 1 1/2 minutes of the Jamie Bulger story into a 22-minute bulletin of national and international news. As a grim portrait of abuse, drunkenness and neglect emerged, the hatred and loathing for Robert Thompson and Jon Venables was also turned on their parents. They have never come out of hiding. Anne Thompson could hold her drink and no one ever saw her staggering home. Hes just waiting for another victim. THE first time the boys set eyes on each other after they were arrested was in Preston crown court 3 1/2 weeks ago. Knowing why Venables is back behind bars is a start. He had a Game Boy console and hankered after a Sega machine, and when they played truant he would head straight for the computer game corner of Tandy's or Dixons. Susan Jane . . For a start, there were only three children, of whom Jon was the middle. He is an old-fashioned crime and punishment man. Lawyers for the pair argued that the adult court venue and publicity made it impossible for the schoolboys to be given a fair trial. But just as he was entering the school gates he met Jon and they decided to sag off together for the fourth - and final - time. The abduction and brutal murder of this two-year-old by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, who were just 10 at the time, prompted a conversation in Britain that we are still having today. In the autumn term of 1992, Robert played truant for 49 half days and Jon for 40. On the 20 year anniversary of the murder of James Bulger, BBC Radio 5 Live's Shelagh Fogarty recalls the trial of his young killers. She found it hard bringing the kids up in the neighbourhood. There, he is terrorising a girl. Add a free photo. Robert had eaten too many and felt sick. The two bumped into each other - literally - in the school playground in the middle of a fight. The other shops in the area were also armoured with mesh, including the Red Garden chipper where Robert used to pop in with his brothers most nights for a 25p bag of chips. As a result of the incident, Jon's mother decided to move him to another school. The Swedes, French, Germans, Canadian and Americans had all come to gaze at Liverpool's child killers. In the last few years she stopped drinking in the Top House and tried to keep things together. portrayed him as the leader and evil one, says James Smith. In Jon's case, 'hyperactivity' went beyond mere fidgeting into outbursts of sudden anger and violence. Venables has now been caged for 40 months. Celtic fans are 'hyenas' as Brendan Rodgers' confidant reveals all about the rules of Fortress Paradise. At Preston Crown Court a few months later, I was one of a handful of journalists given full access to the small courtroom for the trial of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both now 11-years-old. The details of Jamess death were sickening. Both were banned from ever returning to Liverpool and given new identities at a reported cost of 1.5million. There is hatred and envy directed at the baby - a wish to see it suffer in the way they have suffered. Edited by P. H. Venables and Irene Martin. More often, he would pinch them from local shops. Read about our approach to external linking. They and Ann Thompson, who has six other. But then, the whole of Robert's family was a bit like that - shunned, outcast, the butt of local criticism, and very well known to police. Self pity? Susan Venables, now 53, suffered from severe depres-sion and struggled with her two other children, an older son and younger daughter, who suffered learning difficulties.