I believe in redemption, but Bulger killer is now beyond hope

When little James Bulger’s murderer was convicted in 2010 of downloading and distributing indecent images of children as young as two, James’s father said it was only a matter of time before Jon Venables ‘caves in to his lust’ again.

‘he will always be a danger to children, which is why he must be locked up for life,’ said Ralph Bulger. Seven years on, Venables is back in jail after more hideous images of child abuse were found on his computer.

It was in 1993 that Venables and his accomplice, Robert Thompson, both aged ten, led two-year-old James to a railway track in Merseyside to torture and murder him with unspeakable violence.

The trial judge said they had committed a crime of ‘unparalleled evil and barbarity’ and sentenced them to be detained until they were no longer deemed a danger to the public. Both were released in 2001 and given new identities.

A chance to create new lives. And while Thompson did just that and settled into his community in the north-West, Venables was arrested in 2008 for affray and cocaine possession. Two years later, Venables pleaded guilty to downloading images of child abuse — only to be given parole in 2013, and handed a second new identity.

now that he has re- offended yet

THE new biographer of Lawrence Of Arabia star Peter O’Toole says that far from being a drunken, womanising hellraiser, he was intelligent, organised and sensitive. Nope, I won’t be buying the book either. Where’s the fun?

again, we surely have to ask: how many chances should this child killer be given?

Let me be clear, I passionately believe in offering everyone who’s broken the law the chance of rehabilitation and redemption. Membership of a civilised society demands that we are duty-bound to help those who want to change for the better.

I have worked with charities which champion prisoner education, and I have seen hardened criminals emerge from jail reformed, full of hope and keen to contribute to society.

Robert Thompson would seem to be a case in point. But where Jon Venables is concerned, there seems to be no hope.

We have already spent 25 years and £5 million trying to rehabilitate him, and giving him anonymity to protect him from the public. Yet after all this time, it is still the public who need protection from Venables.

My fear is that poor James’s dad is right. Venables ‘is and always was a predatory sex killer who will never be changed’. This sick monster, I am sorry to say, should be given no more chances. It is time to lock him up and throw away the key.