Everyone called him Chubby, because of his round, cherub's face. Between January and the day of the murder Robert had absconded 37 half days out of a possible 60 . Ken VENABLES VENABLES - KEN, August 7, 2007. ", Children accused of a crime are usually granted anonymity, but at the end of the trial the judge allowed both to be named, "because the public interest overrode the interest of the defendants.". Price 4 10s. the street. Hes just waiting for another victim. His mother gave him pocket money to buy them. They had much in common. Although he appeared to have the more stable upbringing of the two boys, there was a history of family problems. In Crosbies corner shop Ian, the next oldest to Robert, was able to tot up the shopping in his mind before the cash register rang up the total. I barely need to refer to my notes to remember in great detail the events that would dominate British news for years. Something went wrong, please try again later. (modern). Robert would give Jon presents of stolen objects: trolls, of course, toy terrapins, sweets. however, as the incident in the playground shows, the ever-present threat of discovery cast a constant shadow over anyone related to the two murderers. One woman asked how James had injured his forehead. His mates called him a girl because whenever there was something on his mind he sucked his thumb. Were they to blame? A newsroom reporter who was not working on the case fended off transatlantic interview demands, saying that it was not enough that he had a Liverpool accent. She would arrive at the secure unit with food parcels and is said to be proud of his achievements since the crime. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 'We have never really been apart,' Mrs Venables said. A police officer remembered Venables being so small that his legs didn't touch the floor as he sat in the custody office after his arrest. 'I think it has something to do with a hatred of vulnerability and babyness in themselves which they projected on to this toddler.'. Two boys who forged a friendship out of breaking the rules. The case of James, a two-year-old who was snatched from a shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool, in 1993, before being tortured and left to die, shocked the nation. That's the thing that upsets me because obviously where I was standing poor little James must have been not. Thompson did what he often did, looked around, grabbing clumsily at his tongue. At 6.31pm she text-messaged him to ask him not . 'His mum was more strict. The former US President is expected to land in Aberdeen on Monday, he announced on his social media platform Truth Social. Born 10 days apart in August 1982 in Liverpool. Without anyone in the family to turn to for support, he had to look outside for people whose swaggering aggression he could emulate. The details of Jamess death were sickening. "One mystery surrounding the murder of James Bulger case is why the 'experts' insisted that Jon Venables was rehabilitated. On Sundays he used to watch Thunderbirds. 'You'd better tell the truth. I dont think she saw a very happy future., The author says there was no contact with the Venables family after the trial as Mrs Thompson focused, her energy on supporting her son, refusing to accept he was a monster. But the President of the Family Division Sir Andrew McFarlane rejected the bid, saying it was in place to protect Venables from being "put to death". Great-granny Helen, who was a nurse for 40 years, does not know how long she has left after waiting on cancer treatment for five months. She was living in secrecy but always felt that she was walking around with a huge sign: mother of Bulger killer, above her head. Denise Fergus is the same age as me, a fact I only registered when I met her for the first time two weeks ago. Venables, who was released on licence in 2001 after serving eight years for the murder of two-year-old James, was returned to prison last November after he was caught with the pictures. WALTON, where they both lived, is, in the jargon of planning, an inner-city urban priority area; neither the best nor the worst the city has to offer. Venables has now been caged for 40 months. It was another derby defeat for Beale who is yet to crack the code on how to get the better of Celtic. She couldn't. I'm warning yer,' she would say. In the years between Venabless first return to prison and this latest conviction he was deemed to be living successfully in the community, when in fact he was working out ways to dodge his internet ban and hiding a computer in his headboard in order to download abusive images of children, including what the judge described this week as serious crimes inflicted on male toddlers. 1967. . These are the words of an officer who was in the police station when DCI Geoff MacDonald of Merseyside Police broke the news to Denise that James was dead. The judge, in sentencing the boys yesterday, voiced his strong suspicion that exposure to violent videos had played a strong part in corrupting them. Susan Venables is on Facebook. His response couldn't have been more different as he sank into the oversized blazer he was wearing. Both had a need to attract attention, which they achieved through a host of petty rebellions. Some people thought they were as old as 12 or 13, but when they met they were both only 10 years old. Claire Ainsley moved into her new home in Park Place earlier this year after waiting several years for a new home for her family. Celtic trump Rangers aftermath LIVE as Ange nears Treble and Beale begins mammoth Ibrox rebuild. A day later, when James still hadnt been found, it was clear from CCTV footage that he had been taken by children. The documentary last night featured interviews with those involved in the 1993 trial, including James dad Ralph Bulger, Jon Venables solicitor Laurence Lee and detective sergeant Phil Roberts, who interviewed Robert Thompson. It is claimed that taxpayers could have to fork out another 250,000 to provide a new life when he is eventually released. They sat just feet from me, perched on the edge of their wooden seat, smartly dressed and hunched in shame just below their son, Jon. New calls to scrap Council Tax bills for people on State Pension rejected by UK Government. susan venables Director at Juju & Co Greater Sydney Area 122 followers 114 connections Join to view profile Juju & Co Macquarie University Websites Activity Greetings from the Rajbari Bawali . sons, were settled in council houses within easy reach of the institutions where their sons were being held. Susan Lee. It was another derby win for Celtic as they moved to within two wins of another Treble. Susan Venables agreed but on condition that she saw her son first. There, he is terrorising a girl. At the time Ann Thompson pleaded for her son to be left alone and revealed that she and her other children had been forced to move house nine times in eight years. Convicted Scots conman died owing 5,000 in withheld wages. It set the tone for the years ahead in which there was to be no respite from the hatred. But however hollow a gesture it might have seemed, those who are in touch with the Thompson and Venables families insist that they have sought to make some sort of amends with their sons after the horrific events of 17 years ago that will rightly stay with them for the rest of their lives. By then, Robert and Jon had abducted James Bulger from the Strand and attempted to drown him in the nearby canal. He had an elder brother, aged 13, and a nine-year-old sister. In 2010, Meggie Atkinson, then children's commissioner for England, called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 12 in light of the trial. The parents of James Bulgers killers have also come to learn that the consequences of that terrible day will stay with them for ever too. He would steal objects that he neither needed nor wanted, then chuck them away in the street. I don't think so. Venables has now been sent back to jail twice after being discovered in possession of child abuse photographs, despite having a parole board determined that he no longer posed a risk to the public's safety. The reaction prompted James' mum Denise Fergus to let supporters know she had nothing to do with the programme. Now we waited. 'In this state it is quite painful to see a normal relationship between mother and child. I have cried for JamesBulgermany times, so God only knows the tears his parents and family have shed. Most people would regard such sentiments as having come rather late in the day and certainly too late to save poor James. World media reacts as Rangers served up crushing Celtic truth from Croatia to Malaysia amid madcap new moniker. Birth 1959 - Liverpool, Lancashire, England. So he came home. 'In my opinion he was victimised. JON Venables's family was far from affluent, but it was not as close to the breadline as Robert's. ', The closest either boy came to offering an explanation was when Jon was asked by police why he had taken James's shoe off by the railway tracks. The Radio Merseyside newsroom, where I was working at the time, was full and everyone was on this story one way or another. That seems the very least they could face for what they did. Lets make sure there are no more victims.. She was paranoid about being discovered. They fled the city, never to return. But just as he was entering the school gates he met Jon and they decided to sag off together for the fourth - and final - time. Less thanfive hours laterthe verdicts were in. You know, we just try and help him as best we can to try to come to terms with things. Get the latest Scottish crime and courts news sent straight to your inbox with our daily Criminal Record newsletter. Then they had carried, dragged and kicked him along a two and a half mile journey, at times swinging him violently in the air or dropping him against the road, until they reached the railway where they stoned him with bricks, bashed his head with a 22lb iron bar, and left him dead across the tracks to be cut in half by a passing goods train. For me, though, it is Susan and Neil Venables who stay most in my memory of that day. Venables was 18 when he was freed from Red Bank secure unit in St Helens, Merseyside, in 2001, and 27 when he was recalled to prison early last year after being caught with child pornography on his computer. The documentary on the James Bulger murder case sparked anger after viewers criticised the Channel 4 show for "sympathising" with the toddler's killers. has prompted a public outcry for an investigation into issues surrounding the case. Denise Fergus remains convinced both will always be a danger to children. Venables was sent to prison in 2010 for breaching the terms of his licence, was released on parole again in 2013, and in November 2017 was again sent to prison for possessing child sexual abuse images on his computer. But that is the common lot of thousands of 10-year-olds who have not turned into murderers. More often, he would pinch them from local shops. "All he said when we've said 'Why didn't you run away?' Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Unemployment levels were more than twice the national average in Walton. He is an old-fashioned crime and punishment man. Mr Bulger called for Venables secret new identity to be revealed for the safety of the public. Susan Venables has blamed weakness for her sons role in the killing of James Bulger, claiming that he got involved with the wrong person. The appearance in court this week of Venables, now a 35-year-old man, on charges of possessing indecent images of children, was a jarring reminder that, still a quarter of a century on, his rehabilitation is more an ambition than a reality. They hid his body under bricks so that the first train to come along cut his body in two, but he was already dead before this happened. In all, they played truant four times. Facebook gives people the power. He added: "As Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss held, (Venables) is 'uniquely notorious' and there is a strong possibility, if not a probability, that if his identity were known he would be pursued resulting in grave and possibly fatal consequences. "The reality is that the case for varying the injunction has simply not been made.". He liked to spend the weekend on the streets. Read about our approach to external linking. Mum sent home from GP after reporting headaches learns she has rare brain tumour. Will you tell his mum I'm. Only two people can answer the question, and even their ability is doubtful. Jon was slim in build and taller than Robert, just over five feet. Ann Thompson and Susan and Neil Venables didn't need to imagine. One day they stayed out until 10.30pm and Jon received a severe reprimand from his mother. One of the focal points of the local community was QD Videos at the bottom of Robert's street, where the kids would browse through the horror stacks, discussing their favourites knowledgeably. Jon was also mad on computers. On the 25th anniversary of his son's death, Ralph told Good Morning Britain: "You wouldnt want this person living next door to you would you? Once he stole decorating borders from a DIY shop which he discarded at regular intervals to mark his way home. At the trialnine months laterI would learn that Robert Thompson had been among those people. Trauma? Just seeing the size of them that first time, the childish figures they naturally were, caught my breath. He had that odd combination of obsession with and disdain for possessions that is characteristic of children who have never enjoyed any of their own. best all you can eat sushi orange county; national holiday calendar 2022 From a distance Robert looked a sweet child. Baby who had heart surgery at two months carried over Glasgow Kiltwalk finish line by dad, Liam Campbell pushed 14-month-old Rosie in pram over three-mile route in her pram before holding her aloft for last 100 yards, BP and Shell set to announce more 'obscene' profits as energy giants rake in billions from oil. Apart from Jon's incident with the ruler, there had been no record of previous violence. Will you tell his mum I'm sorry?". But then, the whole of Robert's family was a bit like that - shunned, outcast, the butt of local criticism, and very well known to police. Sitting in the new class was a chubby boy with a cherub's face - Robert Thompson. First picture of driver killed in horror crash in Perth and Kinross. He was too scared to be naughty on his own. The abduction and brutal murder of this two-year-old by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, who were just 10 at the time, prompted a conversation in Britain that we are still having today. Join Facebook to connect with Susan Venables and others you may know. This story has no borders,' NBC correspondent Denis Murphy said. Skip to main content Accessibility help We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. It's high time they were investigated. Neil Venables regarded himself as the Barry Norman of Merseyside - a film buff with a penchant for horror. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Venables on the other hand was becoming increasingly agitated in the police interviews. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Trevelyan relative 'would consider' famine payment, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion, Four dead after suspected pigeon racer dispute, US principal visits David sculpture after nudity row. They were drawn to one another quickly. I got on with my job, but months later the impact of that trial had sunk in and a difficult, tearful, confusing year followed for me. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. Mrs Thompson worked as an office cleaner until two years ago, when she got pregnant again by another man, who also left her. Although not officially entered into a witness protection programme they were given help by the authorities in finding new homes and taking on new identities. Self pity? Heartbroken Wirral couple who lost baby at 41 weeks to hold special day in his memory, All the bank holidays this month and when the next one is after May, Dr Michael Mosley says to eat these 'anti-ageing' foods daily, Hairdresser makes the jump from St Mary's Market into decades-old barber shop, Update as work on controversial West Kirby flood defence wall continues, Important advice for patients as nurses strike at Whiston and St Helens Hospitals, Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan. TWO BOYS. The right will draw attention to the broken homes, the single parents, the persistent truancy. He said he was frightened of Robert's older brother. Boy A - Robert Thompson - was the shorter and more rounded of the two. "Youngsters are usually tried in a youth court, [Thompson and Venables] were tried in an adult court. INSIDE the court sat the two boys, dwarfed by the weight and majesty of the place. During the trial she said: "Yes, he did tell some lies, but he also told the truth about one thing from beginning to end - he did not kill that baby. Facebook gives people the power to. It is not known whether the boy watched any of his father's adult movies. Kids fantasise about such things. In return, Jon would let Robert ride his bicycle, and from time to time he would suggest naughty deeds himself. Edinburgh named UK top spot for close UFO encounters. He added: Weve got to watch this sexual deviant. His mother cared about him. Donald Trump to visit Scottish golf courses in first UK trip since 2019. Behind them eyes bore into them - from everyone on all sides, journalists, their parents, members of the public, and of course, theBulgerfamily. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. DAVID James Smith, who visited Mrs Thompson at one of her secret homes, reveals that it was a sad existence. Speaking through a friend, Susan Venables, who has been under protection ever. They were in the Strand shopping centre in Bootle when the brother wandered off. At Preston Crown Court a few months later, I was one of a handful of journalists given full access to the small courtroom for the trial of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both now 11-years-old. Just days later he would break down and manically attack his distraught father as detectives asked about damage to James's genitals. Susan Venables has blamed "weakness" for her son's role in the killing of James Bulger, claiming that he "got involved with the wrong person". His mother and father's naive words on their son's involvement in the horrific murder now make for disturbing reading, as the paedophile pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possessing more than 1,000 indecent images of children and a "paedo manual". A picture taken from CCTV footage shows the tot being taken by the hand in what would become one of the defining images of the shocking case. Just four years earlier, we had all covered the Hillsborough disaster and come together in grief. Among the list were several horror films, including one video in which the police took special interest: Child's Play 3, a film which carries the line 'Children are consumer trainees'. She found it hard bringing the kids up in the neighbourhood. One investigating police officer said: 'You could look into the eyes of Robert and knew you were looking at evil.' . Peacefully, aged 85. He said giving him lifelong anonymity was a failed experiment and claimed the authorities could not manage him in the community. God knows how they must be feeling now.. Those who knew him well said he was a very emotional child, prone to mood swings. Robert had eaten too many and felt sick. It seems likely that he was bullied. The other shops in the area were also armoured with mesh, including the Red Garden chipper where Robert used to pop in with his brothers most nights for a 25p bag of chips. The living versions on the floor of the court looked equally wrinkled and austere. Jon's mother, Susan Venables, blamed her son's actions on "weakness", claiming he was "fearful" and "provoked" by his accomplice Robert Thompson. "'It wasnt fair to interview him. Counsel for the prosecution, Richard Henriques QC, made it clear all three elements needed to be proved for a murder conviction. 557. But his outbursts of anger grew worse and he was suspended for trying to throttle a boy with a ruler. Mother Unavailable. Its beyond me," one viewer tweeted. 'When you have got people in the area threatening to blow your kneecaps off every moment of the day - that's just the way they are. Other parents came in to complain about attention seeking. He is one of those children that if you told him to put his hand in the fire, he would. It was high- lighted by the trial judge Mr Justice Morland who said they must take moral responsibility for the terrible actions of the young killers. Get out and get into Dyson Hall children's centre, the only residential care school in the country just outside Liverpool. The 44-year-old has led the Dons to seven wins on the spin and in pole position for third place in the league. Save. It has already been reported that Jon Venables real identity has been exposed in prison, where he is said to be receiving 24-hour protection. Ann was a heavy drinker, separated from her husband, also called Robert, who had deserted the family several years earlier and did not attend court. Hyperactive children can't sit still all day,' Mrs Venables said. Both Venables and Robert Thompson were 10 years-old when they tortured and killed 2 year-old James Bulger, Thompson and Venables were tried as adults, James Bulger, aged 2 years old, being led away in a shopping centre in Liverpool, James Bulger's murder case could now be investigated, The petition is on nearly 15,000 signatures, James Bulger was just two when he was brutally murdered, He had been out shopping with his mum Denise, James was made to walk two miles before being left for dead on a disused rail line, Denise tirelessly campaigned to have their sentence increased. Robert said 'If you tell anybody I'll get my big brother to batter you up'. Death null - Pontefract, Yorkshire, England. READ ALSO: Susan Venables: Who Is Jon Venables' Mother? Jon Venables was ten years old when he was arrested for the torture and murder of two-year-old James Susan cried silently in the interview room as Jon was charged with the toddler's murder, and. I feel so sorry for them. It emerged that the Venables family had suffered the same fate in another area. But after a year they let Ian out again. During the Bulger investigation, police checked the details of 50 videos Mr Venables had hired in recent months. 'Provided you have no court orders for debts already,' the man on the phone would add helpfully. 'Just mad. They knew what they were doing," another wrote. Maybe it was that incident that put the idea into Jon or Robbie's head to 'get a little boy lost'. Keir Starmer calls for drink spiking to be a specific offence amid rise in cases, It dawned on me because of the MS that I was living the wrong life with the wrong husband, I loved my fianc, but after his brain cancer diagnosis I knew I had to leave him, Female musicians told to sleep their way to the top, industry chief tells MPs, Inside the James Bulger files 25 years on. Both were banned from ever returning to Liverpool and given new identities at a reported cost of 1.5million. Barry Robson gets Aberdeen manager job for keeps as he signs two-year deal to delight Dons fans. A pathologist later said that there were so many injuries - 42 in total - that not one could be isolated as causing the little boy's fatal wound. He would call people names and get them to chase him. Money was always a struggle, and she got through the first years drinking in Higson's Top House off St Mary's Lane. Thank you Tracey Armitage for sharing on Hospital Hub exciting news that David HANCOCK will be joining Highland Marketing as an associate. He was fearful of the other boy. Their age was hard to gauge from the CCTV images, so just when you imagined you couldnt be more shocked by this story, it emerged the two accused were just 10-years-old. On the walls hung oil paintings of local judges and magistrates, their surfaces crinkled with age. She got her drinking under control and began giving her murderer son the attention he. Could they have planned to do it in advance? It's a very difficult situation, when you are getting no support as a family, you're alone and you face the world alone, the same as I'm doing now.". Superintendent Kirby is a religious man. 'It's always our family that gets the blame,' Robert said to police after he was arrested for James's murder. Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Nine months later, I was one of 30 or so journalists inside Preston Crown Court when the trial began. Jon Venables said the class teacher tried to entice Robert by offering him a prize for a week's continual attendance - he did, but the prize never came. By now the Venables were reunited as a result of the court case. Thompson admitted nothing. Her comments came as attempts are stepped up to protect both him and fellow killer, Robert Thompson, from attack. and things like that is that he was frightened. The first Susan Venables knew they had stayed away from school was when she saw one of Jon's classmates on her way home with the gerbils. Witness after witness who had seen them, or stopped and asked them what was going on, took the stand. Every day the public gallery was packed with students, pensioners, mothers, teenagers, all drawn to the courtroom spectacle as to a TV soap. He would often have to stay in class at break times to catch up. It was a sign of such restlessness that he was unable to hang on to a football team for long - he kept shifting his allegiance like a floating voter. They poured modelling paint into his eyes, stoned him and clubbed him with bricks, before leaving him on the railway line to be hit by a train. 'The attitude when you live where we live is that you have to be tough or else you don't survive,' she said. He was also given 'respite care' - six weekly weekend breaks to relieve the family of the burden of looking after him. At school Jon was considered bright enough, though he had trouble keeping up with lessons. IN A letter to her son written soon after he was sentenced, Ann Thompson wrote: no matter what you did or didnt do, Im your mother and I will stay with you no matter what happens.. James Bulger was weeks away from his third birthday, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson behaved very differently in court, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company. The footballers were on separate night outs at Chinawhite Manchester in early April when Rashford rescued Lehmann upon her arrival at the venue. Thompson and Venables, now both 27 years old, are among only four individuals in the UK whose crimes are so notorious that they have been given lifelong anonymity. 2023 BBC. Then, one Friday in February, they discovered a new rule to break: they murdered a two-year-old. Just as Venables's confession convicted him, a shoe print belonging to Robert Thompson, found on James cheekbone, confirmed his guilt, too. His mind was too restless to take up other hobbies for long. He will soon have a parole hearing, according to The Mirror. The days James was abducted, February 12 1993, I was a young reporter in my home city of Liverpool. Such a childish voice. Dr Lauren Juyia discovered her own stage 4 colon cancer at age 37 despite only experiencing two mild symptoms. Last November he was arrested and recalled to jail on suspicion of possession of images of child sex abuse. Many of us had dined together most nights throughout the trial, mulling it all over but distracting ourselves, too. "He fell over," was the response. They looked, moved, fidgeted, scratched, cried - even sucked their thumbs - just like any 11-year-olds. Everton was his team. It should certainly be moved up to 12; in some European countries it is 14," she said. In Jon's case, 'hyperactivity' went beyond mere fidgeting into outbursts of sudden anger and violence.
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