‘I fear my son’s evil killers are trolling me’
JAMES Bulger’s mum fears his killers are targeting her with vile online abuse.
Denise Fergus is convinced Jon Venables and Robert Thompson are tormenting her 23 years after they murdered James, who was then only two.
The nation was shocked in 1993 when the pair, both just 10 at the time, abducted, tortured and killed James. They then dumped his body on a railway track in Liverpool.
They were jailed but are now out of prison and have had their identities changed at taxpayers’ expense.
In a heartbreaking interview, Denise and her husband Stuart have told how messages from internet “trolls” have left them paranoid.
Denise said: “I sometimes think ‘is ED GLEAVE it a member of their family or could it be them?’ Because they could easily get in touch with me.
“They’ve been told not to…but what’s to stop them writing to me on social media and pretending to be somebody else?
“It’s really scary and the thought often goes through my mind it could be one of them.”
Stuart added: “What we found was that trolls were impersonating the two people that killed James by setting up accounts pretending to be them.”
Denise often makes TV appearances to speak about her ordeal and her profile has made her a target for abuse.
She speaks out about the cruel taunts she gets online in a new Channel 5 documentary.
Talking about the abuse, Denise said: “Ours has been going on quite a while, mainly every time something comes up in the press about James. People start writing nasty comments. I’ve had some really nasty comments.”
Stuart said: “It’s more around the anniversary.
“That’s when the trolls start again. And I think it’s disgraceful, some of the comments they come out with.”
He added: “There are actually forums.
“And we’ve been told what they try and do between them.
“If somebody targets a parent or an individual or a charity and it makes the press, they win a prize – there’s a prize structure for it.”
Last month, Chloe Cowan, 20, was jailed for three years for sending abuse to Denise. The performing arts VICTIM: James, left, and his killers at the time of their arrest, Venables (top) and Thompson student admitted a stalking offence causing serious alarm or distress after posing as James’ ghost on the internet. Denise has been left so upset by trolls she often feels unable to leave her home. She said: “We as a family are going through enough with our experiences and we don’t need people adding to it.” In the past Denise has called on Twitter bosses to crack down on trolls. She said: “It is time Twitter made it a priority to close down trolls. They can’t just wash their hands of it.” Celeb Trolls: We’re Coming To Get You will be shown on Thursday at 10pm on Channel 5.