They passed 36 people, with one recalling how they urged the boys to take their 'little brother' home because he was 'crying for his mummy'. But talking in 1993, his mother tried to explain how her child turned into a murderer. Spidery and messy. Put bluntly, Jon Venables still gets a kick out of seeing small children suffer. 'You'd better tell the truth. Extraordinarily, she even shouted up to the railway tracks at Walton where she knew Robert had a den. 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. 'His mum was more strict. Left to his own devices Jon liked to spend his playtime in fairly sedentary ways. 'We have never really been apart,' Mrs Venables said. the street. 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. Meanwhile, A petition demanding a public inquiry into James Bulger's murder case has got nearly 15,000 signatures in one day. At school Jon was considered bright enough, though he had trouble keeping up with lessons. They fled the city, never to return. Money was always a struggle, and she got through the first years drinking in Higson's Top House off St Mary's Lane. We know what hes capable of. He was also given 'respite care' - six weekly weekend breaks to relieve the family of the burden of looking after him. Then, one Friday. Cops found the vile collection on a laptop hidden behind the headboard of his bed. Both had parents who had separated. Robert would give Jon presents of stolen objects: trolls, of course, toy terrapins, sweets. Twenty-five years on, Im still prone to hot tears at the memory of it all and I do question the trial. Jon was also mad on computers. Find out more, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, As James Bulger killer Jon Venables is sent back to prison, Shelagh Fogarty writes about her experiences as a young reporter on the case at the time, James Bulger, aged 2 years old, being led away in the New Strand shopping centre in the Bootle area of Liverpool, Denise Bulger arrives at Preston Crown Couty on November 24 1993, Shelagh Fogarty was a young reporter at the time of the murder, The police van carrying Venables and Thompson arrives at Preston Crown Court, Want to have children and a big career? THE first time the boys set eyes on each other after they were arrested was in Preston crown court 3 1/2 weeks ago. On November 24, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables became the youngest persons to be convicted of murder in Britain in almost 250 years, when the pair, both eleven, was found guilty of the abduction and murder of two-year-old James Patrick Bulger. Venables, who was released on licence in 2001 after serving eight years for the murder of. Paul Russell claimed to be terrified of murderer Thomas Cashman at Liverpool Crown Court. He was always getting prizes for maths at school. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James injuries. Explore genealogy for Susan Venables born 1909 Devon, England, United Kingdom including ancestors + more in the free family tree community. He was jailed for two years before being granted parole again in July 2013. Will you tell his mum I'm sorry?". His former wife would send their boys up the street to give their father the fingers through the bay windows of his mother's house. 'I thought he was all right,' said Boy B, as he was known in court - Jon Venables. Something went wrong, please try again later. It's high time they were investigated. 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. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. He also liked to scare old ladies by jumping out in front of their noses. I remember watching her then on TV, her sobbing plea for information and thinking how much guts it must have taken to get up that day and face a roomful of journalists and photographers. Born 10 days apart in August 1982 in Liverpool. Another added: "An awful mistake??!! of Household Head Line 1 Page 1 Household William Venables Head M 39 Liverpool Lancaster Susannah Venables Wife F 37 Liverpool Lancaster Susan Jane Venables Daughter F 2 Port . Jon only revealed his part in the tot's murder after they reassured him they'd still love him if he confessed. For a start, there were only three children, of whom Jon was the middle. 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. Thank you Tracey Armitage for sharing on Hospital Hub exciting news that David HANCOCK will be joining Highland Marketing as an associate. Jon's mother, Susan Venables, blamed her son's actions on "weakness", claiming he was "fearful" and "provoked" by his accomplice Robert Thompson. 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. Robert said 'If you tell anybody I'll get my big brother to batter you up'. He had an elder brother, aged 13, and a nine-year-old sister. Two Ayrshire seaside towns named worst in Scotland as top coastal destinations announced. ENGLAND James BULGER - 2 yo (1993) / Convicted: Jon Venables and Child killer Mary Bell and Maxine Carr, the former girlfriend of Soham murderer Ian Huntley, are the others. The 47-year-old, from Arbroath, was travelling in a grey Porsche 911 Carrera when the smash occurred at roughly 5pm on the B954 between Alyth and Meigle. Heck, we don't even have murderers that young in New York.'. I feel so sorry for them. sons, were settled in council houses within easy reach of the institutions where their sons were being held. Susan Venables (@Susan_Venables) | Twitter ROBERT THOMPSON - angelfire.com What upsets me is I've no way of bringing him up for the rest of his young years so he's going to lose all his childhood. The most startling moment of the trial came when, in lieu of giving evidence in person, the boys' taped interviews with police - recorded just after their arrest - were played in court. Best of all, they would spend time on the Walton railway line where Robert had built a den close to the bridge. 1967. 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. MOST of the boys were bright. But his progress took a nose dive in September 1991 when he was transferred into another class. The detective explained how, before she left, she soothed him, told him his parents would love him whatever he told the police, reminding him that Denise neededto know what had happened to her baby. This would have been at about 5.30pm - just the time the boys were about to begin killing Jamie. "Throughout the conduct of the case there have been a number of issues that have been swept under the carpet. The reaction prompted James' mum Denise Fergus to let supporters know she had nothing to do with the programme. From the moment Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were convicted of the murder of James Bulger, their, families have been condemned to lives spent looking over their shoulders. A day later she would face much worse. Venables has been convicted twice since being set free - Robert is not believed to have reoffended. "In terms of knowing what the full consequences of your actions are, you are into older childhood or adolescence. Sitting in the new class was a chubby boy with a cherub's face - Robert Thompson. Recently, I dug out my old notebooks of the trial and my handwriting during the verdicts says it all. '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. He was fearful, he was weak and he was provoked," she said. He disliked Thunderbirds because of the puppets' 'stringy thingies'. They were drawn to one another quickly. His father, thin and balding, had a much gentler edge. Mrs Thompson worked as an office cleaner until two years ago, when she got pregnant again by another man, who also left her. They saw it with their eyes. At Radio City in Liverpool the calls were coming through from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. She said: "He did like to be liked, and loved to have friends, and he has got involved with the wrong person. Shed never been back but she clearly missed Liverpool and had tried to recreate the city in her new home, he recalls. "This is, therefore, a wholly exceptional case and the evidence in 2019 is more than sufficient to sustain the conclusion that there continues to be a real risk of very substantial harm to (Venables).". As a result of the incident, Jon's mother decided to move him to another school. After a while the boys became used to it. Two boys who forged a friendship out of breaking the rules. At 6.31pm she text-messaged him to ask him not . Will you tell his mum I'm. Mrs Venables has also said that she felt. On Feb. 12, 1993, in Liverpool, England, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables murdered 2 year old James Bulger after kidnapping the toddler from a butcher's shop in a shopping center with his mother, Denise who was momentarily distracted as she conducted business. For she added: 'But he's not a murderer.'. "The age of criminal responsibility in this country is 10 that's too low. Mr Bulger called for Venables secret new identity to be revealed for the safety of the public. She was paranoid about being discovered. 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". Many commentators regarded Venables's parents, Neil and Susan, a working-class couple from Liverpool, respectable compared with the Thompsons. I do believe that she feels guilty deep down for her own part in what happened., Despite the risks of discovery, the relationship is said to have contin- ued to thrive following Thompsons. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. February 20 1993: John Venables and Robert Thompson Charged With Murder Of James Bulger In Liverpool ON This Day in photos - February 20 1993: John Venables and Robert Thompson (both aged 10) are charged with the abduction and murder of two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool. I just burst into tears because you just knew what that meanther heart was broken. The naive words of the paedo's parents have come to light once again as a new documentary is set to air on ITV 25 years after the horrific murder. New calls to scrap Council Tax bills for people on State Pension rejected by UK Government. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. I suspect she still feels that., In 2001 there was a renewed uproar over the case when it emerged that the killers were to be freed, despite a. recommendation by the trial judge that they should remain behind bars for a very long time. I'm bringing up on my own but if I went round and screwed every warehouse my children would have everything too.'. 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". Celtic trump Rangers aftermath LIVE as Ange nears Treble and Beale begins mammoth Ibrox rebuild. Rick Watson on LinkedIn: I have just completed a course at Imperial Add a free photo. READ ALSO: Susan Venables: Who Is Jon Venables' Mother? That's the thing that upsets me because obviously where I was standing poor little James must have been not. The officer who questioned Venables took the stand and explained how he had asked Susan Venables to absent herself from the next session as her presence was now inhibiting her son from telling the truth. Since the murder Robert has been in a state of post-traumatic shock, hounded by nightmares and flashbacks from the railway tracks. He took a jar of paracetamol. Susan Venables Profiles | Facebook Little James was led away by the depraved duo while his mother was in a butcher's shop at the busy shopping centre. They played truant, they pinched sweets, they terrorised old ladies. Aged 10, he was barely literate. The Crown Prosecution Service released a statement in January confirming Venables had been charged. The best instincts led hundreds, including me, to lay flowers a few days later at the site of James horrific end. The pair was tried for the abduction and murder of James as adults owing to the fact they were over 10, which is legally deemed to be the age of criminal responsibility. The base of the dock floor at Preston Crown Court had to be raised 18 inches so each boy could see over it. I cant believe people find excuses for these murderers. "The report of the Prison Service into an incident at Red Bank secure unit has not been published. His mother especially has been a tower of strength, says the source. The Radio Merseyside newsroom, where I was working at the time, was full and everyone was on this story one way or another. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, James was just two when he was brutally murdered by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, Chilling CCTV shows the moment James Bulger was led away from his mum, Jon Venables was ten years old when he was arrested for the torture and murder of two-year-old James, Robert Thompson and Venables became Britain's youngest killers for 250 years, Denise Fergus talks about the lack of punishment for Jon Venables and Robert Thompson on Loose Women. There, he is terrorising a girl. Susan Jane Venables (1909-) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree He had left her to bring up six children alone. In search of an explanation, award-winning journalist David James Smith looks behind the misinformation, misunderstanding and sensational reporting to an exact . I wonder how many parents looked at their sons of a similar age that week, sure in the knowledge their own children could never be so wicked, but asked themselves anyway "what would I do if?". Jobs were few and far between. Robert always wanted to stay out late and encouraged Jon to join him. The days James was abducted, February 12 1993, I was a young reporter in my home city of Liverpool. 'Sometimes I told Robbie to do things so he does,' he told a police officer, with pride in his voice. James' distraught dad Ralph Bulger blasted Venables for his repeated offending and branded his child abuse images sentence as an insult. Now we waited. Just something to do.'. The only sign he was discomforted by hearing it was a near constant pulling of his tongue in his hands. He would call people names and get them to chase him. 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. I have cried for JamesBulgermany times, so God only knows the tears his parents and family have shed. It is not known whether the boy watched any of his father's adult movies. Jon was afraid of her. Kids fantasise about such things. Guilty of abducting and murdering James PatrickBulger. I wish we could turn the clocks back," Mrs Venables said. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. A smell of bleach lingered on some of the tiled steps that led up to the front doors. The fathers of both Robert and Jon were without work. By then, Robert and Jon had abducted James Bulger from the Strand and attempted to drown him in the nearby canal. I'm warning yer,' she would say. 'America is the land of shopping malls. The Buddies know they can seal an incredible return to European football by the end of the month. 'I can't read hard words,' he said. Ian was clever enough to know that to survive he had to get out. The suspect was waiting outside Scotmid on Tullichewan Drive, Alexandria, when staff opened the doors at 7am. When they abducted, tortured, and eventually killed James, age 2, and dumped his body by a railroad track in Liverpool 25 years ago, Venables, now 40, and Robert Thompson, then 10, were both 10 years old. They knew what they were doing," another wrote. At Preston Crown Court Thompsons mother Ann and Venables parents Neil and Sue sat side by side. They were intent on killing. His mother called him hyperactive since, even more than his friend, he was scarcely able to sit still. What Did Jon Venables Get Charged With? - vimbuzz.com Like Ann Thompson, however, both parents of Jon Venables rallied round their son and in preparationfor his release Mr Venables accom-panied him on trips to football matches. Robert passed this down the line bullying his eight-year-old brother into playing truant. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. By chance, the rest of Jon's family was driving past and spotted them. Paper Subscription to the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, Paper Subscription to the Paisley Daily Express, 2023 Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd, Jamie Bulger killer Jon Venables pleads guilty to possession of indecent images of children, James Bulger's mum blasts Jon Venables trial and says killer 'thinks he's got away with it', Scots double killer dies in Carstairs 30 years after murdering wife. The mayor of Preston accused them of being sick ghouls, but still they came, queuing up for tickets two hours before proceedings began. Their faces affected me deeply. The team look Keep them apart or he'll get into trouble, they said. "In order that justice can be done, no further details are being released at this stage and the proceedings are subject to reporting restrictions.". They did. 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 . The press were gobbling it up. Doctor discovered her own stage four cancer after experiencing two 'mild' symptoms. In all, they played truant four times. How could two small boys savage and leave a toddler for dead? Meanwhile, Thompson has not re-offended since his release, and is believed to be in a long-term relationship with a man who knows who he really is. Join Facebook to connect with Susan Venables and others you may know. Join Facebook to connect with Susan Venable and others you may know. His mother was not so keen on the idea - they cost pounds 35 each. 'They would say 'take your son home'. The toddler was abducted from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993 by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. On Feb. 12, 1993, in Liverpool, England, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables murdered 2 year old James Bulger after kidnapping the toddler from a butcher's shop in a shopping center with his mother, Denise who was momentarily distracted as she conducted business. Read about our approach to external linking. Just four years earlier, we had all covered the Hillsborough disaster and come together in grief. Instead, she was involved in an ITV documentary with Sir Trevor McDonald that will air on Thursday. Some of the red brick houses were well-kept, others had torn net curtains and grubby windows. The living versions on the floor of the court looked equally wrinkled and austere. A maudlin ballad about Liverpool was playing in the back- ground and she was cooking the dish known as Scouse. It is claimed that taxpayers could have to fork out another 250,000 to provide a new life when he is eventually released. 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. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Robert was number five of seven. Venables was a different creature. Click here to upload yours. More than 20,830 people have signed an online petition calling for Council Tax to be abolished for pensioners. Join Facebook to connect with Susan Venables and others you may know. One woman has found a way to have it all. The SNP said ordinary families were "being forced to pay extortionate fuel bills while Westminster reaps the financial benefits". See that cell. 557. 'It was very dark and I shouted down, shouted his name. Money, or his family's lack of it, preyed on his mind. The right will draw attention to the broken homes, the single parents, the persistent truancy. On the walls hung oil paintings of local judges and magistrates, their surfaces crinkled with age. He was released in 2013 after he was deemed to no longer be a risk to children, but told police in 2017 he "needed help to understand why he did this and ensure he didn't do it again". Two boys who forged a friendship out of breaking the rules. oley motorcycle swap meet 2022; target peach comforter. It was another derby win for Celtic as they moved to within two wins of another Treble. The hardliners in the police have a simpler explanation. Susan Venables agreed but on condition that she saw her son first. Following the arrest of their sons it was reported that the mothers of the boys had been attacked and vilified in. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. I said no. Speaking in February 2018, he said: 40 months is a joke. James Bulger would now be weeks away from his 23rd birthday. "He is easily led. How can people defend their actions .#TheBulgerKillers.". After spending just eight years in custody, Britain's youngest killers were released and given lifetime anonymity in the UK. got customers to rank the best and worst seaside towns in the UK. Forlorn hope, though. Everyone called him Chubby, because of his round, cherub's face. I wasnt on duty that day, so the very beginnings of the story washed over me. Only a handful of officials and close family members know their true identities. His mother gave him pocket money to buy them. "It is hard to take in really. 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. Moments later, we were told, Jon Venables uttered the words, We did it. JON Venables's family was far from affluent, but it was not as close to the breadline as Robert's. susan venables liverpool The toddler was snatched from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993 by the two schoolboys. Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. One day they stayed out until 10.30pm and Jon received a severe reprimand from his mother. Nine months later, I was one of 30 or so journalists inside Preston Crown Court when the trial began. It is just heartbreaking.". James Bulgers mother Denise claims that she managed to track down Thompson six years ago, planning to confront him but instead stared at him from the opposite side of the street, full of rage but unable to act. login . During the Bulger investigation, police checked the details of 50 videos Mr Venables had hired in recent months. By now the two boys from Walton were part of an international freak show. Ken VENABLES VENABLES - KEN, August 7, 2007. Between January and the day of the murder Robert had absconded 37 half days out of a possible 60 . Just as Venables's confession convicted him, a shoe print belonging to Robert Thompson, found on James cheekbone, confirmed his guilt, too. ', 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. Venables was banned from any internet access after his last release in 2013, but the judge was told he started searching for child abuse images last July. Neil Venables regarded himself as the Barry Norman of Merseyside - a film buff with a penchant for horror. She was a woman as large in personality and physique as the burdens she carried. 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.". We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 'I couldn't hear anything,' she said. A heartstopping moment came when the playing of the tapes in court was paused. His mates called him a girl because whenever there was something on his mind he sucked his thumb. fun to be with" and always had plenty of friends. Real bottom of the gut stuff, like an animal. In between they abducted and killed a two-year-old boy, James Bulger. He would steal objects that he neither needed nor wanted, then chuck them away in the street. Those who knew him well said he was a very emotional child, prone to mood swings. "BULL**** about 'two frightened kids whod made a terrible mistake' The tapes said they kept stoning him, even when he kept getting up. Edinburgh named UK top spot for close UFO encounters. One could draw some parallels between the film's plot and James Bulger's death. Such a childish voice. Read about our approach to external linking. . 'I was the softie,' Neil Venables said. It is about a Good Guy doll invaded by the spirit of a mass murderer who kills people in gruesome ways. The obituary notice of Ken VENABLES Liverpool, Published in: Liverpool Echo. 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. 'It's always our family that gets the blame,' Robert said to police after he was arrested for James's murder. One investigating police officer said: 'You could look into the eyes of Robert and knew you were looking at evil.' Such pleasantries were not for Robbie. Lady Penelope was his favourite character because she was rich, followed by Brains with the glasses. The pair took James to a railway line and tortured, beat and sexually assaulted him. Susan Venables LinkedIn: David Hancock becomes an associate of One woman asked how James had injured his forehead. It worked. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us.