WebJon Venables was born on August 13, 1982 in Liverpool, England, UK. What was their family background like? He pleaded guilty via video link to three charges of making indecent images of children, and one of possessing a "paedophile manual", that included advice for would-be child molesters, including instructions on child grooming and evading detection. [143] On 24 August, co-hosts on Seven's breakfast show Sunrise asked whether the killers were now living in Australia, in an apparent tie-in with that week's episode of City Homicide. Media descriptions of him as "quivering" and "vulnerable" compared with the "impassive" Thompson at Preston crown court in 1993 served to define him as the more impressionable of the two. Yet prior to the murder of the two-year-old, there were signs Venables, then 10, did not just follow. Sometimes, he led. Little James was led away by [8] The boys were playing truant from their local primary school, which they did regularly. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? But can it explain the murder of James Bulger? In November 2017, she had published an alleged photograph of Venables on Facebook, with the advice "share this as much as possible". It is as if she thinks of herself walking around with a sign above her head: Mother of Bulger Murderer. Can specific acts of physical or emotional trauma be enough to push a person to violence? Faced with the near-inconceivability of the crime itself, and two suspects below the age at which the law judges young people as morally capable, the media and the public needed surrogate criminals to bear the blame, to be the object of their sense of outrage and desire for retribution. "He is easily led. The moment was caught on CCTV and became the defining image of a horrific case. [4] Both boys were reported to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, and Venables in particular told of experiencing nightmares and flashbacks of the murder. Our feelings haven't changed towards him. [77] In April 2007, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 confirmed that the Home Office had spent 13,000 on an injunction to prevent a foreign magazine from revealing the new identities of Thompson and Venables. [47], Shortly after the trial, and after the judge had recommended a minimum sentence of eight years, Lord Taylor of Gosforth, the Lord Chief Justice, recommended that the two boys should serve a minimum of ten years,[9] which would have made them eligible for release in February 2003 at the age of 20. It was also revealed that Cheshire police had produced a "threat assessment" to try to establish what could happen to Venables were his new identity revealed. In 2008, a new probation officer said that he spent "a great deal of leisure time" playing video games and on the Internet. [149] Bulger's mother circulated a petition to have the film removed from the nominations. Venables later described how Bulger seemed to like him, holding his hand and allowing him to pick him up on the meandering journey to the scene of his murder. Both had blood on their shoes; the blood on Thompson's shoe was matched to Bulger's through DNA tests. The Ministry of Justice refused to reveal any details, but the then Justice Secretary Jack Straw did say the recall was prompted by "extremely serious allegations". Jon Venables in 1993. In my judgment, your conduct was both cunning and very wicked. A pattern of bruising on Bulger's right cheek matched the features of the upper part of a shoe worn by Thompson; a paint mark in the toecap of one of Venables's shoes indicated he must have used "some force" when he kicked Bulger. Since his release in 2001 Thompson has kept a low profile and done his best to maintain his anonymity. At What Age Should A Child be Held Accountable? [67] An injunction was imposed on the media after the trial, preventing the publication of details about Thompson and Venables. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest convicted murderers in British history. [9] The railway embankment upon which his body had been discovered was soon adorned with hundreds of bunches of flowers. The Venables were by no means wealthy, but they were She attended the trial at Preston crown court every day, brushed up and manicured, wearing a smart suit, high shoes and clutching her handbag with its gold chain. "I think my son's concentration wasn't the way it should have been, but he wasn't slow. [98][99][100] In a statement to the House of Commons on 8 March 2010, Straw reiterated that it was "not in the interest of justice" to reveal the reason why Venables had been returned to custody. In October 2000, he recommended the tariff be reduced from ten to eight years,[9] adding that Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution was a "corrosive atmosphere" for the juveniles. Robert Maudlsey, the real-life Hannibal Lecter and the UK's most dangerous prisoner. Some seven years later, the Court of Human Rights would rule that they should never have been tried in an adult court. Ian, aged 15, subsequently asked to be taken into care and when he was returned home he tried to kill himself by overdosing on painkillers. Home Secretary David Blunkett approved the decision, and they were released a few weeks later on lifelong licence after serving eight years. April 13, 2023. Jon Venables Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty .". [33] The family of one boy, who was detained for questioning but subsequently released, had to flee the city due to threats from vigilantes. Background - Jon Venables and Robert Thompson Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, HSBC says 1 bank buyout boosted profit by $1.5bn, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month. [133][134] In response to media coverage, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern remarked that, due to his criminal history, Venables would need an exemption under New Zealand's Immigration Act 2009, and that he should "not bother" applying. He has been educated. In the picture, it is Venables who is holding James's hand. Cases of children and teenagers who murder are shocking and terrible, but unfortunately they do happen. . [89] The sentence was reduced to 2+12 years on appeal. Three months later, police cautioned him for possessing cocaine, and a requirement was added to his licence ordering him to address his alcohol and drug problems, the court was told. The film is based on transcripts of the police interviews with Thompson and Venables after their arrests. During the trial, the full horror of James' death emerged. Jon Venables