One police officer described how Jon Venables was so small, his legs were swinging. The attitude when you live where we live is that you have to be tough or else you dont survive, she said. 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. "The age of criminal responsibility in this country is 10 that's too low. On the walls hung oil paintings of local judges and magistrates, their surfaces crinkled with age. Both were banned from ever returning to Liverpool and given new identities at a reported cost of 1.5million. Denise Fergus is the same age as me, a fact I only registered when I met her for the first time two weeks ago. He gets upset. "He fell over," was the response. 'I can't read hard words,' he said. Jon was also mad on computers. 'I even went up to the railway line because I knew the other boy had a den up there and was on the railway nearly all the time.'. Boy A - Robert Thompson - was the shorter and more rounded of the two. The government will be required to respond within 14 days if as the petition achieves more than 100,000 signatures. Some people thought they were as old as 12 or 13, but when they met they were both only 10 years old. Susan Venables, mother of Jon - referred to throughout the trial as Boy B - blamed her son's 'weakness' for the murder of James Bulger, . "Throughout the conduct of the case there have been a number of issues that have been swept under the carpet. si fs. Join Facebook to connect with Susan Venables and others you may know. I made notes of the pathologists evidence. From the start, Jon was drawn and repulsed by Robbie like opposite and equal poles of a magnet. The couple was financially strained from the start, but Ann did what she could to make it work. His parents, Susan and Neil, accompanied him during the interview process. He is one of those children that if you told him to put his hand in the fire, he would. I just think of James and his Dad and about all that fun with his little boy, like I had with Jon.". The bird was taken to the vets where they are nursing it back to health. Click here to find personal data about Susan Venables including phone numbers, addresses, directorships, electoral roll information, related property prices and other useful information. She said that Jon was always "loving, caring, thoughtful and considerate . For a start, there were only three children, of whom Jon was the middle. 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. "On the other hand, you are looking at him and you are saying 'Well, I know why - because he is so weak'. It is time to examine all this.". He would often have to stay in class at break times to catch up. THE first time the boys set eyes on each other after they were arrested was in Preston crown court 3 1/2 weeks ago. They played truant, they pinched sweets, they terrorised old ladies. The primary concern among the faculty was Roberts growing amount of absences. The only sign he was discomforted by hearing it was a near constant pulling of his tongue in his hands. However, given that the tension in the household was persistent throughout the most crucial of Jons formative years, the belief that he had moved through the ordeal entirely unaffected is questionable. Are they mad? But after a year they let Ian out again. After a while the 10-year-olds began to charge - a tenner an interview. Heck, we don't even have murderers that young in New York.'. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James injuries. That's the thing that upsets me because obviously, where I was standing poor little James must have been not far . . Witness after witness who had seen them, or stopped and asked them what was going on, took the stand. 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. Mr Venables said it had never crossed their minds that the video pictures from the security cameras in the shopping centre from which James went missing showed their own son. Robert passed this down the line bullying his eight-year-old brother into playing truant. Gillespie, McNeilly, and Powell were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years. Will you tell his mum I'm sorry?". He didn't want to hurt James. Just as Venables's confession convicted him, a shoe print belonging to Robert Thompson, found on James cheekbone, confirmed his guilt, too. Their kids have got everything. He frequented local cinemas and regularly hired videos for the night. Nine months later, I was one of 30 or so journalists inside Preston Crown Court when the trial began. Get out and get into Dyson Hall children's centre, the only residential care school in the country just outside Liverpool. eb. We still dont know why. as he was known in court - Jon Venables. In the business world, too many people think it's all about being hard, tough, ambitious, or having grit. The base of the dock floor at Preston Crown Court had to be raised 18 inches so each boy could see over it. The first time he asked Jon to play truant with him was last September, only weeks after they had become friends. What they did was exceptionally unpleasant and the fact that a little boy ended up dead is not something the nation can easily forget. But Robert was stuck in Walton with his older brothers and the baby. What happened to James Bulger? The boys lived off chips. She initially enrolled the two younger children in Broad Square Elementary, but it soon became clear that her daughter was struggling to keep up with the schools curriculum. It was on his way back to the interview room when Venables finally admitted it: "We did it. To widespread dismay and condemnation from the Bulger family, the killers were given new identities, courtesy of the taxpayer. Then, one Friday in February, they discovered a new rule to break: they murdered a two-year-old. His body was found two days later on a railway line. Only two people can answer the question, and even their ability is doubtful. All information on this page is true to my knowledge, and is not intended to diminish or justify either boys actions in any way whatsoever. Best of all, they would spend time on the Walton railway line where Robert had built a den close to the bridge. 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. The left will make play of social deprivation, unemployment, bad housing and general inner-city rot. his killers were just 10 years old and attention focused on their upbringing and dysfunctional home life. I would say he was provoked. 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. James smith (16 March 1990 [2] - 12 February 1993) was a two-year-old boy from Kirkby, Merseyside, England, who was abducted, tortured, and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson (born 23 August 1982) and Jon Venables (born 13 August 1982), on 12 February 1993. They pair was ordered to be detained at her majesty's pleasure - meaning indefinitely - but in 2001, a six-month review by the parole board found they were no longer a threat to public safety and they were released on life licence after serving just eight years. TWO BOYS. Any anxiety or animosity he might have felt was manifested largely through his school-aged thumb-sucking, a habit which elicited titters and taunts from the neighborhood children. They played a double act towards the children: his mother, Susan, aged 36, a sharp woman with a hawkish look, was the hard one. Spidery and messy. He was always getting prizes for maths at school. .". He would throw things at other children, cut himself deliberately with scissors and stick paper all over his face. There was a pattern of bullying, with the older boys picking on their younger brothers down the line. 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. He liked to spend the weekend on the streets. 'I couldn't hear anything,' she said. Born on August 13th, 1982, Jon was the middle child of Neil and Susan Venables. 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'm warning yer,' she would say. His body, defiled and broken in two by a train, two miles from where hed been taken, was foundtwo days later. That was in September 1991, 17 months before they killed James Bulger. On Monday night's documentary, Robert Thompson's solicitor Dominic Lloyd said: "Many years after the trial a juror said 'we found them guilty of murder but we didn't have the option to find them guilty of being two very bewildered and frightened little boys who made an awful mistake and need a lot of help'.". In March 2010, Venables was recalled to prison for downloading and distributing more than 100 images of child abuse. Eventually, Bobby walked out on his family, but not before beating his wife one final time. I didnt, did I? she said to Neil during their interview with Gitta Sereny. Susan Venabless bent body shrank deeper into itself. The teacher had a different perspective, saying that Susan was in fact aware of the issue, and had expressed deep concern. 'You'd better tell the truth. Denise was in court that day. To do that he put on the witness stand all those people who had seen the three boys on the route from the shopping centre to the railway line. The police have uncovered no evidence of any abuse within either family. I know how I feel as a mother. The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. xf fy. Ultimately, wanting to escape the havoc, most of the boys opted to leave home, and some were placed into voluntary care at Dysons Hall, a childrens home just outside of Liverpool. Read about our approach to external linking. They and Ann Thompson, who has six other. Ann denied the physical abuse, but later admitted to being cruel to the boys at times. I didnt connect the dots until much later on. Neil explained to him that the school they attended was special, and that Jon wouldnt be accepted. One woman asked how James had injured his forehead. Instead, she was involved in an ITV documentary with Sir Trevor McDonald that will air on Thursday. We still think the same of him as we always have. Mr Venables ran out of the car and grabbed him, while Robert ran off down the street laughing and shouting: 'You can't catch me.'. The Swedes, French, Germans, Canadian and Americans had all come to gaze at Liverpool's child killers. She visited regularly and they would hold family anniversaries in the, place where he was held. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Parents of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson talk about their sons, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. wo. This would have been at about 5.30pm - just the time the boys were about to begin killing Jamie. "Contrary to what the papers will tell you, he is not a little urchin boy. He stayed away from school so often the local police called him a professional truant. During that time, Susan felt as if she was trapped and overburdened, often taking her frustrations out on her husband, who believed it was her responsibility to take care of the children, and offered her little support in the way of childrearing. He took a jar of paracetamol. Superintendent Albert Kirby, who headed the investigation, doesn't believe in the under-belly of Liverpool nonsense or stuff about the disintegration of modern society, the collapse of the nineties cities. He had left her to bring up six children alone. Join Facebook to connect with Susan Venables and others you may know. Mrs Thompson claimed she had been the victim of revenge attacks after her identity became known. Scores more watched proceedings from a neighbouring office block which, for the duration of the trial, came under court jurisdiction. 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. She would arrive at the secure unit with food parcels and is said to be proud of his achievements since the crime. Three years ago, after his mother walloped him, he went to social services and asked them to put him in care. Look at mine. 'I couldn't be arsed talking about them,' said one. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. The bleached houses were peppered with burglar alarms, the shabby ones did not look worth the trouble. It was this empowering chemistry between them that some argued set into motion the life-altering events that would devastate a family, challenge a community, and rock a nations core in the disquieting months that followed. The experience gave Jon renewed confidence, and the second time they sagged off together he suggested it. In contrast he has had no contact with his father despite an approach soon after sentencing. 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 other boy, Robert Thompson, we are told is now abiding by the conditions of his life license since he was released 17 years ago, and is doing well. A torrent of questions erupted from the moment the grim news came out that James Bulger's body had been found on a railway line in Liverpool and the last people seen with him were two ten-year-olds, captured on grainy CCTV footage. I just heard an almighty screech. has prompted a public outcry for an investigation into issues surrounding the case. Good people asked the boys if they were lost or urged them to take "their baby brother" home as he cried for his mummy. The trial though didnt, and was never designed to, shed light on how two such young children could be guilty of such sustained barbarity. Regrettably, yet perhaps not entirely unforeseen, the cycle of abuse continued. His father, thin and balding, had a much gentler edge. Our feelings haven't changed towards him. She remained very frightened and felt that she and her son were the most hated people in the country. I have lost my son as well. 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. This time we came together in shock and disbelief. The Venables decided to place her with their eldest son, in a school for children with special needs. 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. Susan and neil venables. Just having a bit of shade!! Venables, who was said to have been subjected to regular beatings by his mother Susan, titled the drawing 'My Dads house'. He once came to me crying saying the other boys were picking on him, trying to steal his bike.'. Southern. Financially, the couple appeared to be functioning, but meanwhile, Susan was at the end of her rope with her eldest son, who, having become increasingly frustrated at his inability to communicate, had grown terribly unhappy and was having temper tantrums regularly. The end of the court case was not the end of course. James mother Denise Fergus has been saying this for a long time, but still we hoped that the boy who savaged a tiny child to death could become a man safe to be in our midst. For she added: 'But he's not a murderer.'. Lawyers for the pair argued that the adult court venue and publicity made it impossible for the schoolboys to be given a fair trial. A parole board ruled that Thompson and Venables were no longer a threat. Then between 1990 and 1991, Jons teachers recognized a dramatic change in the boys behavior, which was alarming enough for one of his teachers to begin keeping a daily log. When social workers came round, they did so to see his sister and his brother, who had learning difficulties and was receiving special education. "All he said when we've said 'Why didn't you run away?' Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. The case is doomed to be picked over by every faction within the caring professionals and politics. Architect Shahed Saleem in the Ramadan Pavilion 2023 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. So much happened whilst I was there involving Jon. Venables and Thompson abducted, tortured and killed two-year-old James in Liverpool in 1993 when they were both aged just 10. It seems likely that he was bullied. You know, we just try and help him as best we can to try to come to terms with things. Pictures; Inside the Guardian; Guardian Weekly . CCTV images revealed how James had been lured away by Thompson and Venables, who was also aged 10. He believes these were evil boys. This would have put Jon in a particularly arduous position, as the couples only excelling child, and as author Gitta Sereny observed from her time spent with the Venables in 1994, forcing this middle child, Jon, for a long time, perhaps unconsciously, to compensate his mother for her two problem children, put an enormous weight of responsibility on this child virtually from the time he was born., As Susan struggled to manage her two disadvantaged children day to day, Neil was the familys breadwinner, working as a forklift driver. Forlorn hope, though. He was given a new name, a job and a flat on his release to try to ensure his security . The atmosphere in the courtroom was oppressive as the tension of a month was about to break. It is not known whether the boy watched any of his father's adult movies. 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.. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? On Sundays he used to watch Thunderbirds. I came back and then (Mrs Venables) went out. It worked. His father, Neil, an unemployed panel-beater, was separated from his mother but they lived only a mile apart, saw each other every other day, and took equal care of the children. football, snooker, things like that. Police respond to reporters of a swan being removed from the harbour by a drunk male before it being involved in a collision on Mutley Plain. They rejected suggestions that he could have watched Child's Play Three, a film that his father had rented three weeks before James's death, which, it has been claimed, included scenes similar to those of the attack on the two-year-old. He was fearful, he was weak and he was provoked," she said. ANN THOMPSON, the mother of Robert Thompson, child A, says her son is a thief, a liar, is devious and plays truant. It is just heartbreaking.". There is hatred and envy directed at the baby - a wish to see it suffer in the way they have suffered. As their sweet voices rang around the courtroom, Venables hid his face in his oversized blazer and cried. his mother was told that it was important that she stayed in his life and stood by him. The James Bulger murder View gallery Venables was born on August 12, 1982. Child killer Mary Bell and Maxine Carr, the former girlfriend of Soham murderer Ian Huntley, are the others. Susan Venables is on Facebook. Susan Venables, now 53, suffered from severe depres-sion and struggled with her two other children, an older son and younger daughter, who suffered learning difficulties. The mayor of Preston accused them of being sick ghouls, but still they came, queuing up for tickets two hours before proceedings began. Their kids have got everything, she added, bitterly. At the trialnine months laterI would learn that Robert Thompson had been among those people. The days James was abducted, February 12 1993, I was a young reporter in my home city of Liverpool. NEIL Venables was warned by friends not to let his son play with the other boy. The documentary on the James Bulger murder case sparked anger after viewers criticised the Channel 4 show for "sympathising" with the toddler's killers. When the fisticuffs ended, impressed by each other's performance, they made friends. After spending just eight years in custody, Britain's youngest killers were released and given lifetime anonymity in the UK. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The boys, by now lacking any sense of guidance within the home, took to the streets, robbing, truanting, and some of them experimenting with drugs. The living versions on the floor of the court looked equally wrinkled and austere. It set the tone for the years ahead in which there was to be no respite from the hatred. On one occasion one of Anns sons let his real name slip at school and they had to move almost at once, says. Once the jury retired, so did the journalists - but we didnt go far. Left to his own devices Jon liked to spend his playtime in fairly sedentary ways. The statement said: "The man formerly known as Jon Venables has been charged with offences relating to indecent images of children and will appear in the Crown Court. Directly in front of the bench was the raised dock in which Thompson, Venables, and two social workers would sit for the next four weeks. Both of them struggled at school and had been lumped into the year below their age. At his first primary school the headmistress referred him to a psychologist, noting how he used to bang his head against the classroom wall to gain attention. The distress of one woman who had come agonisingly close to taking James by the hand herself to a police station, only to be hoodwinked by Thompson and Venables that they were doing just that. Natural Landmarks. It is claimed that taxpayers could have to fork out another 250,000 to provide a new life when he is eventually released. On the 20 year anniversary of the murder of James Bulger, BBC Radio 5 Live's Shelagh Fogarty recalls the trial of his young killers. The fathers of both Robert and Jon were without work. ", Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. But his comment sparked anger from viewers. The four who drove Suzanne to Romiley - Jean Powell (now Jean Gillespie), Bernadette McNeilly, Glyn Powell, and Anthony Dudson - were all found guilty of murder. Mrs Venables walked around the area for hours, searching for him. He disliked Thunderbirds because of the puppets' 'stringy thingies'. The Royal Mint of a 50p coin featuring Professor Albus Dumbledore as part of a Harry Potter-themed collection. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. Drivers have been warned to leave extra time for their Monday morning commute due to icy roads during rush hour, following a weekend of wintry weather. I wasnt on duty that day, so the very beginnings of the story washed over me. James' mother Denise believes they should have remained in jail for life and has tirelessly campaigned against their rights to anonymity. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. Their seats were just below the raised dock where their sons would sit for the next three weeks, listening to a prosecution which aimed to prove not only that they killed James Bulger, but that they planned to, and that when they did they knew it to be wrong. ', They sagged off in the afternoon and walked around the shops in County Road, near Walton. Both parents hope was that he would make something of his life and eventually find some peace. They had much in common. Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. Teachers later reported that whereas the boys were manageable when separated, together their behavior worsened dramatically. "My heart really goes out to them. 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. Not really?. Shed never been back but she clearly missed Liverpool and had tried to recreate the city in her new home, he recalls. Ironically, Jon was the child who caused his parents least anxiety. At first, Robert seemed to respond well to this, taking the initiative to help feed and clothe the baby, and doing what he could to please his mother. His mother gave him pocket money to buy them. Nature. Everton was his team. A day later she would face much worse. 'I didn't know it would be like this,' Mr Venables said with hindsight. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. Express. . His mother called him hyperactive since, even more than his friend, he was scarcely able to sit still. Who were their parents? March 10, 2021 - 20:29 GMT Eve Crosbie. 'I walked round for a couple of hours trying to find them. Venables received a 40-month prison sentence after appearing via video link at the Old Bailey. Counsel for the prosecution, Richard Henriques QC, made it clear all three elements needed to be proved for a murder conviction. sp. But. At Preston Crown Court Thompsons mother Ann and Venables parents Neil and Sue sat side by side. Her family were dignified throughout, but on that day one of theBulgerfamily supporters allowed themselvesa loud 'YES' as the verdicts came in. In court, he hid his face again. But he is not a murderer. He would steal objects that he neither needed nor wanted, then chuck them away in the street. Venables served seven years of a life sentence for the 1993 murder before he was freed in June 2001, aged 18. When she turned around moments later, her son was gone. 'It was very dark and I shouted down, shouted his name. Their parents entered the courtroom; The Venables arrived together, Ann Thompson came with supporters but no sign of Robert's father. It is here, of course, that Jon met and made friends with fellow eccentric, Robert Thompson. Teachers hold placards as they shout slogans while taking part in a protest organised in Manchester as part of a national strike day. 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. Robert is not believed to have reoffended - Venables has been convicted twice since being set free. Jon was afraid of her. Aged 10, he was barely literate. Her warnings arent being heeded, but 25 years on, I think she is probably right. 'In my opinion he was victimised. I just burst into tears because you just knew what that meanther heart was broken. Tweet. "BULL**** about 'two frightened kids whod made a terrible mistake' The tapes said they kept stoning him, even when he kept getting up. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (second left) and Scottish Secretary Alister Jack (second right) during a visit to the Port of Cromarty Firth, Invergordon, during a two day visit to Scotland to highlight the benefits of remaining in the United Kingdom as he seeks to counter Nicola Sturgeon's push for independence, King Charles reacts as he visits the Aboyne and Mid Deeside Community Shed in Scotland, There are only a handful of images of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, 'Jon was weak and was provoked': Parents of Jamie Bulger killers speak, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Something went wrong, please try again later. His parents say he is 'broken-hearted'. His mother, Anne Marie Thompson, who is 39, got the house from the local housing trust after her husband, Robert, ran off with a woman from Stockport five years ago. She said an educational psychologist had diagnosed hyperactivity in her son, who was bullied at his previous school. While, on the face of it, there doesnt appear to be as much external devastation present in Jons family history as in Roberts, his outlandish behavior suggested that internally, Jon was in a state of extreme emotional upset. - a grey heron in Asawn, Southern Egypt. Seeing at first hand the pain of a family who have lost a toddler to an act of brutal violence is almost unbearably moving. He is an old-fashioned crime and punishment man. Three days later his body was found, and three days after that a tip-off came from a shopkeeper who had seen two boys playing truant on the day James went missing and gave police two names - Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. The prosecution, led by Richard Henriques QC, made its case quite simply really, using the journey they took James on to tell the story. . "One mystery surrounding the murder of James Bulger case is why the 'experts' insisted that Jon Venables was rehabilitated. Neighbors later reported that it wasnt uncommon for Robert to be seen wandering the streets of Walton after midnight, since he was always running off at night. When Jon's parents gave a recent press interview, it was Mrs Venables who did most of the talking; the father just sat and cried. He carried books on wrestling and wildlife in his school bag.
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