Child killer paroled 2nd time

LONDON — One of Britain’s most notorious child killers will be paroled a second time after he was sent back to prison over a child pornography conviction.

Jon Venables was 10 years old when he was convicted along with another boy of abducting 2-year- old James Bulger from a shopping center and beating him to death by an isolated railway line in northern England.

The two killers were given life sentences, but were released on parole in 2001 after being given new identities. The move sparked a debate in Britain, where memories of the murder remain sharp.

Venables was jailed again in 2010 after pleading guilty to downloading and distributing dozens of indecent images of children, breaching the terms of his release from juvenile detention and reigniting a debate over whether he should have been released in the first place.

Earlier this year James’s mother, Denise Fergus, and father, Ralph Bulger, both had addressed a parole healing and pushed for Venables to remain in prison.

But the U. K. parole board on Thursday confirmed that Venables had been granted parole. The Ministry of Justice declined to comment on the case, saying re-release of offenders is ordered by the parole board once it is satisfied they can be “safely managed” in the community.

Writing on Twitter, Fergus said “Just don’t believe what I’ve got 2 go through. AGAIN.”

Ralph Bulger’s lawyer, Robin Makin, said his client is “disappointed and dismayed” by the “reckless decision” to release Venables.