Child killers Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both aged 10 at the time, abducted two-year-old James Bulger from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993, leading to his tragic death.
After spending eight years in a young offenders institute, Thompson and Venables were released in 2001 with new identities to protect themselves. However, Venables faced imprisonment in 2010 and 2017 for possessing child sexual abuse images. Despite a recent denial of his parole request, Venables has now been granted a parole hearing, causing further anguish for James’ mother, Denise, who will attend the hearing to hear Venables’ voice again after years.
Meanwhile, Thompson, now 43, was released on license in 2001 after a thorough rehabilitation process. Unlike Venables, Thompson has not reoffended since his release. The cost of their new identities, totaling £1.5 million, was aimed at safeguarding them from potential revenge attacks, with both being banned from entering Liverpool.
Thompson, who has rebuilt his life after incarceration, pursued education, achieving five GCSEs and completing A-Levels. Reports suggest he has been in a stable long-term relationship since 2006, with his partner allegedly aware of his true identity. In a public statement, Thompson expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging his past mistakes and the impact of his crime on James Bulger and his family.
Despite the remorse shown by Thompson, James’ father remains unconvinced of the sincerity of their apologies. Thompson denied any sexual assault on James and admitted that fear of retaliation initially prevented him from confessing to the crime. He reflected on the public outcry during their court appearances and expressed regret over not intervening to prevent James’ tragic fate.
The story was updated in February 2024.