Since then, the two men have taken vastly different paths. It is believed Thompson remains in a long-term relationship with a man who knows his real identity. While inside, Venables received education and rehabilitation while being taught how to conceal his real name and horrifying crime. Bulger Killer JON Venables is one half of a pair of notorious child killers who abducted and then murdered two-year-old James Bulger back in 1993. During their November 1993 trial, the world was equally shocked and outraged that two young boys could have the capacity to viciously murder a toddler. A woman passing by noticed Bulger but did nothing. Gone outside with the boy, she said. Having a partner thats comfortable with his identity must have helped a lot. Hes with two young kids hes gonna be all right.'. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (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. ", The report said Venables was benefitting from ongoing psychological work in prison and had taken part in programmes to address decision making, better ways of thinking and a propensity for sexual offending.. Kill the bastards, people yelled. That was the biggest mistake of my life. On February 12, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables abducted a 2-year-old boy named James Bulger from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, England. Menu. And even by 2000, top child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter claimed the risk posed by Venables on his release was "trivial". To those who arent familiar, the scene looks harmless enough: Two boys leading a toddler, one holding his hand as they make their way through a normal shopping mall in Bootle, England. So the authorities secretly visited Robert Thompson who lived in Walton, not far from the murder scene with his mother and 2 younger brothers. Mr Bulger said: Ive always believed Venables will kill another child again if he is allowed back into the community. A freak of nature. Over the course of interviews lasting several days, Venables eventually confessed. They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. James Bulger Story. Despite the fuzzy footage, it was two small boys that could be seen leading James Bulger (identified from the description of his clothing provided by his mother) to the exit. In 2010, he was imprisoned for downloading images depicting various kinds of sexual abuse being inflicted upon male toddlers. Robert and Jon would sexually abuse, assault, and murder Bulger before dumping his body. All of the instruments used in the attack were found strewn around the area the iron bar, stones, and bricks all covered in the boys blood. They were a match made in hell. But with no further offenses, Thompson might be a great example of how a child who commits a horrific act of violence can be rehabilitated and live a productive life after being incarcerated. She called out to them once more as they walked away but they did not look back. Following his eight-year sentence for the horrific crime, Robert Thompson was freed and given a new identity. From 1993 to 2001, Venables served time in the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside. They first attempted to lure a three-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother away from their mother. A court order that is in place to prevent a person from being identified as Jon Venables or Robert Thompson has been amended, following an application from the Attorney General, Rt Hon. Three months later he was given a caution for possession of cocaine after he was found with a small amount of the class A drug. In rejecting Ralphs petition, Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane argued that releasing Jons information would endanger his life. The twisted child killer,. But when Venables was recalled to jail in 2010, it emerged Thompson had done well at Barton Moss secure unit, in Eccles, Lancs, showing a growing interest and talent in art. The Netline reports that Thompson has fully integrated into society and has "built a healthy relationship" inside the community in which he lives. Nevertheless, additional passersby could still see the partially-covered forehead injury, and one person even saw a tear on Bulgers cheek. But no one did anything. His dad abandoned the family five years before Bulger's murder - leaving mum Ann devastated. March 10, 2021 - 20:29 GMT Eve Crosbie. 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. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both 10, murdered him in cold blood. In their bid to have Venables' identity disclosed, lawyers for Ralph and Jimmy Bulger argued certain details about the killer and his life are "common knowledge" and easily accessible online. Rumours had spread widely on social media that Jon Venables, who murdered James Bulger in 1993 along with Robert Thompson, had had his eyes ripped out in prison . Robert Thompson was born on August 23, 1982 - the fifth of seven children. His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. As for Venables, he has been thrown in prison again on multiple occasions, most notably for possession of child pornography and a pedophile manual, which described how to abuse young girls in sickening detail. But it was ultimately an anonymous phone call to the police that implicated Jon Venables and Robert Thompson as the James Bulger killers. But on that fateful day, the two boys would take their crimes to a horrific new level by kidnapping and killing a child. Despite positive behaviour and landing a job in jail, Parole officials ruled Venables was still not safe to be released. But as they scanned the lists of children who had been absent that day from local schools, they soon received an anonymous phone call that blamed Venables and Thompson for the crime. 2 So, when the eight years were up in 2001, both boys were released. 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 . 721 Smith Rd. Jon Venables pictured using a mobile phone, a questionable activity given his inability to maintain anonymity. With Bulgers mother, Denise, momentarily distracted, they got the toddler to come with them. More than 25 years later, the surveillance image above remains etched in the minds of the millions familiar with the James Bulger case. They also said that neither boy was a sociopath. In addition, they thought that the kidnappers mightve been 13 or 14 years old, which threw them off track. In July 2010, Venables appeared at the Old Bailey via video link which was only visible to the judge. He is a dangerous, predatory child abuser and killer, and I am terrified he will harm another child like my James,Ralph said. And in 2018, he was sentenced to 40 months after admitting to possessing more than 1,000 child abuse images and the pedophile manual. 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. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (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. BWP Media via Getty ImagesTen-year-old Jon Venables poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. But unfortunately, their story didnt end in 1993. 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. Venables and Thompson were tried in an adult courtroom by a jury. Since being freed, Venables alone is thought to have cost the public around 5million. But this wouldn't be the only time Venables would have a brush with police. To date, no significant attempts at vengeance have been made. 7 Oct 2021; Updated 13:36, 7 . But when Venables was recalled to jail in 2010, it emerged Thompson had done well at Barton Moss secure unit, in Eccles, Lancs, showing a growing interest and talent in art. "To let him out could be another death sentence for an innocent child like James. Soon after the aborted abduction, Venables and Thompson were loitering around a snack kiosk hoping to steal candy when they noticed James Bulger by the door of a nearby butchers shop. On November 24, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were found guilty of the abduction and murder of James Bulger, making them the youngest convicted killers in modern British history. Thompson was held at Barton Moss near Manchester, where he cultivated an interest in subjects like art and theater. Robert Thompson was born on August 23, 1982 - the fifth of seven children. Due to the national furor surrounding their case, they were both given new identities. Where Are Robert Thompson And Jon Venables Now? After momentarily becoming distracted, Bulger's mother noticed that he was nowhere to be seen. My advice would be dont bother applying,she said. Official figures showed that Venables' attempt to keep his identity secret cost taxpayers more than 65,000. The police then visited both childrens homes and discovered blood on Thompsons shoes and blue paint on Venables jacket. But it didnt take long for Venables to confess. To this day, the motive still remains unclear. He and his second wife Natalie McDermott, welcomed a baby girl in 2014. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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. Youve got enormous burdens to carry around.. WikimediaJames Bulger killers Jon Venables (holding the boys hand) and Robert Thompson (walking directly in front of the boy) abduct their victim just before killing him, as captured by a surveillance camera. When Bulgers father, Ralph, saw that it was just two boys with whom his son had left the mall, he was relieved: I looked at Denise and smiled with relief. The kid killers were condemned to an adolescent detainment office, where they resided until their parole in 2001 at 18 years old. 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