James Bulger's mother's 'relief' as killer Jon Venables kept in prison - but 'harrowing' process begins again

James Bulger's mother has spoken of her overwhelming relief after the Parole Board said one of her son's killers should stay in prison.

But Denise Fergus is calling for changes to the system as the "harrowing process" will begin again within months, as Jon Venables, 44, faces another review in around two years.

He and Robert Thompson, both aged 10, tortured and killed two-year-old James after snatching him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, on 12 February 1993.

Venables expressed his "protracted and extreme remorse for his crime" and said he was not seeking release in his latest parole hearing, according to documents published on Monday.

Parole hearings are usually held in private, but they can be made public "in the interests of justice", which Ms Fergus said would have made her "finally feel listened to".

But it was held in private after the Parole Board said it would be "very difficult for Jon Venables to give evidence" because he could be "being listened to by people who are seeking to get information so that they can kill him".

A summary of the decision that Venables should be kept in prison said he had admitted to "a long-term
sexual interest in children/indecent images of children" and said he "has completed a considerable amount of work in prison to address this area of risk".

"However, the panel was concerned by continuing issues of sexual preoccupation in this case," it said.

"The panel considered that there were future risks of Mr Venables again viewing indecent images of children/child sexual abuse images, and also of Mr Venables progressing to offences where he might have contact with children, and both of these present a risk of causing serious harm to others."

Kym Morris, a spokeswoman for James's mother, told Sky News: "Denise's overwhelming feeling today is relief.

"This is the decision she has desperately waited for, and she welcomes the Parole Board's decision that Jon Venables must remain in prison.

"The prospect of his release has caused her enormous anxiety. Given his repeated offending, her concerns extend beyond her own family to the safety of other children."

James's body was found on a railway line after he had been beaten to death with bricks and a metal bar.

Venables and Thompson were given life sentences for his murder but were released on licence with new identities in 2001.

Venables was recalled to prison in February 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer.

He was again freed in August 2013 and then called back in November 2017 for the same offence and has been in prison ever since after parole judges again considered his case in September 2020.

Venables pleaded guilty to offences of making indecent images and possession of a paedophile manual in February 2018 and was handed a 40-month prison sentence.

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In 2023, the Parole Board rejected an earlier release bid and found Venables still posed a danger to children and could offend again.

'Harrowing process will begin again within months'

He will be eligible for another parole hearing in around another two years, and Ms Morris said the relief he will be kept in jail "does not take away the distress of knowing another parole review will follow".

"Within months, Denise feels she will have to begin preparing herself emotionally for this harrowing process all over again," she said.

"We are calling for changes to the parole process for life sentenced prisoners, so bereaved families are better protected from the cumulative trauma of repeated reviews.

"They should not have to keep reliving the worst experience of their lives without meaningful consideration of the harm this causes.

"We hope to meet the Justice Secretary Alex Norris to discuss longer intervals between reviews where legally possible, stronger support and greater protection for victims' families.

"Today, Denise can breathe a little easier. But she and James' family deserve more than temporary relief before the next ordeal begins."

(c) Sky News 2026: James Bulger's mother's 'relief' as killer Jon Venables kept in prison - but 'harrowi