-Credit:Julian Hamilton/Daily Miiror
The heartbroken mother of James Bulger has vowed to attend her son’s killer’s upcoming parole hearing — so she can look him in the eye and remind him he’s never been forgiven.
Denise Fergus, whose two-year-old son was abducted and brutally murdered in 1993, says she will fight to be present at the hearing of Jon Venables, one of the two boys convicted of the horrific crime.
Now 41, Venables has applied for parole once again — despite already being denied in December 2023 and reoffending twice since his initial release.
Jon Venables was charged with the murder of James Bulger on February 20, 1993 -Credit:PA
Jon Venables was charged with the murder of James Bulger on February 20, 1993 -Credit:PA
Speaking to the Mirror, Denise said: “This is mental torture for me. His parole was rejected just five months ago because he wasn’t considered safe. What’s changed? He’s got a lifelong record of reoffending. When do we ever get a break from this nightmare?”
Denise hopes new laws allowing victims’ families to attend parole hearings will give her the chance to confront Venables directly. “I will do whatever it takes to sit in that room, to let him know we haven’t gone away, we haven’t forgiven, and we will never stop fighting,” she said. “I want the parole board to understand he hasn’t changed — and I believe he will kill again if he’s ever freed.”
James Bulger was killed 30 years ago after being abducted -Credit:Liverpool Echo
James Bulger was killed 30 years ago after being abducted -Credit:Liverpool Echo
The legislation, rolled out across England and Wales, could pave the way for Denise to finally speak at the hearing later this year. She and her husband Stuart recently met with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood to raise concerns over Venables’ possible release.
While she was told Venables is still being held as a Category A prisoner due to the threat he poses, Denise said past broken promises have made her cautious. “We’ve been burned before,” she admitted. “But the Justice Secretary seemed to take it seriously and said she’d keep us updated. We expect a formal letter any day now saying the parole process has begun.”
Denise, who lives in Merseyside with her family, said she had only just started enjoying some normality again — before being thrown “back into battle mode.”
“We shouldn’t have to keep going through this,” she said. “He should never be considered for parole, ever.”
James Bulger with his mum Denise Fergus
James Bulger with his mum Denise Fergus
James Bulger’s murder remains one of the UK’s most disturbing crimes. On February 12, 1993, the toddler was snatched from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle while his mum briefly looked away to pay for meat at the butcher’s.
CCTV captured the moment two ten-year-old boys — Jon Venables and Robert Thompson — walked James out of the centre. They led him over two miles to a railway line, where they tortured and killed him.
The young killers were detained for just eight years before being released on licence in 2001 with new identities. Venables has since been jailed twice for possessing child abuse images, reigniting public anger and Denise’s relentless campaign to keep him locked up.
His most recent parole denial in December 2023 was seen as a small victory for James’ family — but now they face another agonising fight to ensure Venables remains behind bars.
