James Bulger’s father launches court bid to end killer’s anonymity
THE FATHER and uncle of murdered toddler James Bulger have launched a legal challenge against an order made almost two decades ago which has allowed killer Jon Venables to live under a cloak of anonymity.
Details of an application by Ralph and Jimmy Bulger were revealed at the High Court for the first time at a hearing in London on Tuesday.
Sir James Munby, the most senior family judge in England and Wales, was asked to deal with preliminary issues in the case which relates to an order originally granted in 2001.
As the proceedings got under way, Sir James, President of the High Court’s Family Division, confirmed that James Bulger’s mother Denise was not involved in the application.
The father and uncle are represented by solicitor-advocate Robin Makin, who told the judge he needed material relating to the proceedings dating back 18 or 19 years to prepare his case properly. Sir James said he did not understand the relevance of that material to the application.
Mr Makin said it was because the injunction was granted on the basis that Venables was rehabilitated and would not re-offend.
The situation has changed as he has since been convicted on two separate occasions, most recently in February. Venables has been living anonymously since
his release from a life sentence for the kidnap, torture and murder of two-year-old James Bulger 25 years ago.
James was murdered by 10-year-olds Venables and Robert Thompson after they snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993 in a case that caused worldwide shock and revulsion.
Both Venables and Thompson were later granted lifelong anonymity by a High Court judge.
Following release they have lived under new identities. But Venables has since been convicted and sent back to jail over indecent images of children.
In February, he was jailed for three years and four months after admitting surfing the dark web for extreme child abuse images. It was the second time he had been caught with such images.
James’s mother, Denise Fergus, and father, Ralph Bulger, attended the Old Bailey when Venables was sentenced in February.
Ms Fergus said on Tuesday that she is not involved in the High Court proceedings. In a statement she said: “I understand the motivation for the application, but my concern is that if Venables were known by his own name, it could lead to vigilante action and innocent people being hurt. Beyond that, I have no further comment to make.”
Sir James said that the case would return to court for further directions at some date in the future.