Bulger family given date for Venables legal action

Legal action brought by relatives of James Bulger, the murdered toddler, over lifelong anonymity granted to Jon Venables will go ahead in December.

Ralph and Jimmy Bulger, James’s father and uncle, are challenging the High Court order made after Venables’ release in 2001. Denise Fergus, James’s mother, is not involved. Venables has been living anonymously since his release from a life sentence for the kidnap, torture and murder of two-year-old James. He was killed by Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged 10, in 1993. The case will be heard by Sir Andrew Mcfarlane, the new president of the family division.