Full Breakdown
Jon Venables' Parole Hearing Remains Private Amid Family’s Call for Openness
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Parole Board Rejects Public Hearing Request
On September 28, the Parole Board for England and Wales decided that the upcoming parole hearing for Jon Venables will be held in private. The decision was announced by Sir John Saunders on behalf of the Board’s Chair.
Background & Context
In February 1993, ten-year-old Jon Venables and Robert Thompson abducted two-year-old James Bulger and murdered him. Both were sentenced to indefinite detention. Venables was released on licence in July 2001, recalled in 2010 after indecent images were found, released again in 2013, recalled in 2017 for the same offence, and has remained in custody. The Parole Board rejected his 2023 bid, concluding he still poses a danger to children. Thompson was released in 2001 and has not reoffended.
Data & Statistics
- 1993: abduction and murder of James Bulger.
- 2001: Venables first released on licence.
- 2010: recalled after possession of child-abuse images.
- 2013: released again.
- 2017: recalled a second time.
- 2023: Parole Board found Venables still a risk.
Official Statements & Responses
The Board cited the risk to Venables’ safety and a lifelong anonymity injunction as reasons for a closed hearing. Sir John Saunders said the injunction, upheld in 2019, protects Venables from “serious physical attack or death” and that much of the evidence must remain confidential, limiting public transparency. He added that a public hearing could “mislead” the public about how the Board assesses risk.
Criticism & Opposition
Denise Fergus, James Bulger’s mother, and her partner Stuart Fergus applied for a public hearing, arguing that openness would increase understanding and combat misinformation that retraumatizes the family. Their request to observe the hearing was granted in principle but limited to an audio recording after the hearing due to the injunction.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Hearing Timing: One outlet reported a mid-October hearing; another said a decision on the format was expected “in the coming days.”
- Venables’ Age: Sources list him as either 43 or 44.
What’s Next
The private oral hearing will proceed under the existing anonymity order. Victims, including Denise Fergus, will be allowed to listen to an audio recording after it concludes, subject to checks for compliance with the injunction. No further public hearing dates have been announced.