Name him before he claims another victim
Family fury as James’ killer gets just 40mths for child abuse pics
JAMES Bulger’s dad called for Jon Venables’ secret ID to be revealed – after blasting the sentence for child abuse images given to his son’s killer.
As Venables was jailed for 40 months, Ralph, left, said: “He’s waiting for another victim.”
JAMES Bulger’s dad is fighting to lift the anonymity of one of his son’s killers, Jon Venables, who was jailed yesterday over horrific child abuse images and a paedophile manual.
Venables was given 40 months – his second similar offence in seven years, despite constant supervision.
Ralph Bulger said: “We’ve got to watch this sexual deviant. We know what he’s capable of. He’s just waiting for another victim. Let’s make sure there’s no more.”
Venables and Robert Thompson, both now 35, were given anonymity after being released from jail on licence for life after serving eight years for the murder and torture of James Bulger which they carried out aged 10.
It was feared their lives would be at risk. But James’s father Ralph Bulger says that because Venables has been jailed again, he should lose the right to anonymity and the public needs to know his identity to safeguard other children. Mr Bulger’s solicitor Robin Makin said: “We are immensely concerned about the danger that Jon Venables would pose if released again. Due to his innate nature, there has to be a fundamental reassessment of the [anonymity] order. “The authorities have not been able to manage him in the community. “He’s already reverted to committing further criminal offences and, rather ominously, where is this going to lead?” The battle to unmask Venables will be raised in the High Court this year. It is believed it would be the first time such an order has been overturned. Both James’s parents blasted the 40-month sentence. A spokesman for mum Denise Fergus, 50, said: “He will be leaving the court today believing he got away with it.” Ralph added: “It is a joke, an insult.” When sentencing Venables, Judge Edis noted he was bound by guidelines and flagged up the dangers. He said possession of The Jazz Guide, which gave tips on how to have sex with pre-teen girls, showed
Venables was possibly thinking of moving on from looking at images to seeking victims in person.
And he told Venables: “From all that I know about James’s parents it is clear that you not only took his young life, but devastated theirs.
“Given your history, it is significant that a number of the images and films were of serious crimes inflicted on male toddlers.
“This causes children all over the world to be seriously harmed. That dreadful fact does not appear to trouble your conscience at all.”
In 1993, Venables and Thompson lured James away from his mum during a shopping trip and killed him in Walton, Merseyside. When they were released, aged 18, an injunction that still stands today banned anyone from publishing anything about the killers’ new lives.
Venables last year trawled the Dark Web and downloaded 1,170 child abuse pictures and videos from paedophile forums, the Old Bailey heard yesterday.
Most showed children aged between six and 13 but some depicted horrific assaults on those even younger, including babies, Louis Mably QC told the court.
He added: “The photographs were real and show male and female children. A common theme was adult women…where the photographs purport to show mothers having sex with their children.”
An expert report to the court said Venables posed a “lifelong” risk to children and the likelihood he would re-offend was “very high”.
Edward Fitzgerald QC, defending, told the court: “Venables apologises to the family of James Bulger for the renewed distress he has caused by his renewed offending.”
Venables appeared only on court lists at the Old Bailey as ‘AB’.
He heard the hearing on a video link from prison. Screens in court were covered with paper to hide his identity. Only Justice Edis could see him on a monitor. Venables entered four guilty pleas – three to charges of making (downloading) indecent images and one to possession of the manual. He was warned he may not be released automatically at the halfway stage of his sentence.
Outside court Chris Johnson, of the Justice for James campaign, said: “We heard in court Venables breached his parole terms in 2015 by gaining access to the internet.
“However, we also heard this was covered up in that authorities dealt with him by way of a police caution rather than him being brought back to court for a breach of his parole.”
Mr Johnson added: “There should be no further collusion or attempts to cover up his offending behaviour.”
Criminal lawyer Danielle ReeceGreenhalgh, of Corker Binning, said: “There has been criticism of this sentence. But the final decision as to eventual release will in fact be in the hands of the Parole Board.”
Venables will be leaving the court today believing he got away with it. It’s an insult DENISE FERGUS’S SPOKESMAN & RALPH BULGER ON SENTENCE
The abduction and torturing to death of the two-year-old lad from Liverpool in 1993 was a gruesome, heartbreaking, inexplicable crime.
It shocked the nation, and the pain of James’s parents will be unknown to all except others who lost a young child in the cruellest of ways.
Venables is now living with a new name under tight supervision, his identity kept secret from the public for his own safety.
James’s dad demanding the unmasking of Venables is as understandable as his mother arguing his sentence for child pornography offences should be longer than 40 months.
Equally, the reasons for him being granted lifelong anonymity are understandable. It would present a greater danger if he was hounded by vigilantes and fled his tormentors, disappearing off the police’s radar.
But our sympathy is with James’s family. How many second chances does Venables expect?