James Bulger’s killer Jon Venables will STAY in prison after bid for freedom is rejected by parole board
JAMES Bulger’s evil killer Jon Venables will STAY in prison after his bid for freedom was rejected.
The monster faced an appeal to determine if he could be released from jail after he was locked up for possessing child abuse images.
Venables will not be released from jail following the controversial two-day parole hearing.
The Parole Board ruled it was “not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public”.
Kym Morris, a spokeswoman for James’ mum Denise Fergus, told the Mirror: “This is the day Denise has waited for years. The prospect of him coming out was terrifying as we knew he’d harm again.
“This is a day we celebrate and we thank the parole board for making the correct decision.”
Venables had claimed he was “completely rehabilitated” as he made his bid for freedom.
But James’ dad Ralph Bulger slammed the killer for missing the hearing in a bid to protect his mental health.
It meant Venables was able to dodge listening to victim impact statements from the two-year-old’s family, including Ralph’s.
Ralph, 57, said: “How can these people even consider releasing Venables from jail if he isn’t made to face up to the reality of the vile crimes he has committed?
“How can they not insist he hears what I have to say?
“It’s part of my healing that I get to tell him the way it has affected me and my family.
“It’s just so twisted that we are the ones hurting for the rest of our lives, but he is the one who continues to be protected.”
James’ mum Denise Fergus also expressed her fury at the private hearing, which meant she was unable to attend.
She appealed directly to the Parole Board, saying she would “crumble” if her son’s killer was allowed back on the streets.
Addressing the board directly, she told the Mirror: “Look into my eyes and see what I’ve had to deal with for 30 years – three decades of hell. Keep people safe from this monster, because that is what he is, and don’t give him what he wants.
“If he goes on to commit more crimes after you release him, it will be on your shoulders. So, I’m just asking you to do the right thing.”
Venables and pal Robert Thompson shocked the nation in 1993 when, aged just ten, they abducted and mutilated little James in Bootle, Merseyside.
They took James to a railway line and tortured, beat and sexually assaulted him.
In November that year, the pair were found guilty of abducting and murdering James – making them the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years.
Despite huge opposition, both were released under strict conditions in 2001 and given new identities at a cost of millions to the taxpayer.
Thompson has not re-offended since being released on licence when he was 18 years old.
But Venables has been recalled to jail twice since he was first released.
In 2010, he was caged for three years for possessing indecent images of children.
The killer then returned to jail in November 2017 after further sickening images were found.
The Sun Online has contacted the parole board for comment.
