We will never be able to do the fun things any more . Self pity? Thompson and Venables, now both 27 years old, are among only four individuals in the UK whose crimes are so notorious that they have been given lifelong anonymity. But after a year they let Ian out again. They would sneak out during the morning break, hiding behind a wall before the coast was clear. One police officer described how Jon Venables was so small, his legs were swinging in the air as he sat in the custody office. fun to be with". On countless occasions, Bobby battered his wife, once causing her to miscarry, and his temper didnt stop at his wife. Lady Penelope was his favourite character because she was rich, followed by Brains with the glasses. Since his 14-year-old brother, Phillip , had already tried to stab him, the social services agreed. This time, curiosity took the upper hand: 'I wanted to see what it was like,' he said. what is the bite force of a baboon. Born 10 days apart in August 1982 in Liverpool. Keep them apart or he'll get into trouble, they said. One of the new works by Banksy, appears to show a 1950s housewife, wearing a classic blue pinny and yellow washing up gloves, with a swollen eye and a missing tooth seemingly shoving her male partner into a chest freezer, the piece is set on a white wall backdrop in Kent. qu fy. By now the two boys from Walton were part of an international freak show. When you have got people in the area threatening to blow your kneecaps off every moment of the daythats just the way they are. release. Thompson, who gained five GCSEs and A-levels in design and technology, is said to have developed an interest in theatre. 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. The pair were handed new identities after being released from prison. Witness after witness who had seen them, or stopped and asked them what was going on, took the stand. Mrs Venables described how she searched for Jon. He didn't want to hurt James. Reporters from around the world ended up in the drab streets of Walton, cadging interviews off any 10-year-old boys hanging around in the streets. I couldnt make any sense of it, Robert later recalled, desolately, when asked about his fathers unexpected departure. susan venables - Director - Juju & Co | LinkedIn Denise Fergus remains convinced both will always be a danger to children. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. everyone blamed Thompson and. 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 the autumn term of 1992, Robert played truant for 49 half days and Jon for 40. . "Just to let you know that even though footage was used of me on the CH4 programme, I had no part in it," she tweeted. "BULL**** about 'two frightened kids whod made a terrible mistake' The tapes said they kept stoning him, even when he kept getting up. They played a double act towards the children: his mother, Susan, aged 36, a sharp woman with a hawkish look, was the hard one. He had an elder brother, aged 13, and a nine-year-old sister. A video still of James Bulger, aged 2 years old, being led away in the 'New Strand' shopping centre. 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. 'I walked round for a couple of hours trying to find them. The documentary on the James Bulger murder case sparked anger after viewers criticised the Channel 4 show for "sympathising" with the toddler's killers. Jon Venables now: How old is James Bulger's killer? What happened to Take him home, the officer would say to her. Robert was number five of seven. Best of all, they would spend time on the Walton railway line where Robert had built a den close to the bridge. But now and again. Susan Venables agreed but on condition that she saw her son first. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. In any case, the couple drifted together, and in 1983, just fifteen months succeeding Jons birth, Susan gave birth to their third child, a daughter. Half way through the 1992-1993 school year, Robert had already racked up nearly 50 unauthorized absences, and was falling significantly behind in his schoolwork. "He is easily led. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James' injuries. Venables on the other hand was becoming increasingly agitated in the police interviews. But he is not a murderer. Susan Venable: 141 records - CVs, addresses, photos, cars - uFind.name James Bulger's killers: Where are Robert Thompson and Jon Venables? When she turned around moments later, her son was gone. 'I don't know,' he replied. After a while he tried to commit suicide to get back in. Their parents entered the courtroom; The Venables arrived together, Ann Thompson came with supporters but no sign of Robert's father. A day later, when James still hadnt been found, it was clear from CCTV footage that he had been taken by children. It was to be an adult trial, both boys appearing every day in the full gaze of whoever was in that room, but neither giving evidence directly to the court. I got on with my job, but months later the impact of that trial had sunk in and a difficult, tearful, confusing year followed for me. One day they stayed out until 10.30pm and Jon received a severe reprimand from his mother. 'I can't read hard words,' he said. 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. 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. Robert said 'If you tell anybody I'll get my big brother to batter you up'. Constantly restless, his workbooks were empty, and he would often be denied recess because he was so far behind. Susan Venables, mother of Jon - referred to throughout the trial as Boy B - blamed her son's 'weakness' for the murder of James Bulger, . He stayed away from school so often the local police called him a professional truant. Susan Venabless bent body shrank deeper into itself. Susan Venables Facebook: susan.venables.9 Lives in Mellor, Blackburn With Darwen, . 'I couldn't hear anything,' she said. 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. Jon continued to attend Broad Square, where children of the neighborhood openly mocked and poked fun at his siblings, calling them backward. Jon was also an easy target due to a squint in his eye. He has been educated. The teacher had a different perspective, saying that Susan was in fact aware of the issue, and had expressed deep concern. He started with Liverpool, but by the time of the murder he had switched to Blackburn Rovers. I cant believe people find excuses for these murderers. The Rt Reverend Glyn Webster lights a candle in front of the newly restored Lady Chapel East Window at All Saints North Street in York, one of thirteen stained glass windows from the church undergoing conservation work at Barley Studio, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen on the picket line outside Great Ormond Street Hospital in London during a strike by nurses and ambulance staff, Britains former prime minister Liz Truss leaves her home on February 5, 2023 in London, England. That was in September 1991, 17 months before they killed James Bulger. It has already been reported that Jon Venables real identity has been exposed in prison, where he is said to be receiving 24-hour protection. He's quite bright and clever. It is claimed that taxpayers could have to fork out another 250,000 to provide a new life when he is eventually released. Denise Fergus is the same age as me, a fact I only registered when I met her for the first time two weeks ago. xf fy. 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. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James injuries. "I think my son's concentration wasn't the way it should have been, but he wasn't slow. In return, Jon would let Robert ride his bicycle, and from time to time he would suggest naughty deeds himself. "My heart really goes out to them. I didnt connect the dots until much later on. Then, one Friday in February, they discovered a new rule to break: they murdered a two-year-old. James Bulger: Jon Venables' identity leaked online - news He was fearful of the other boy. "Just TV programmes and little things remind me of the good times we had together . David James Smith, who wrote a book about the Bulger case, The Sleep Of Reason, and stayed in touch with Ann Thompson afterwards. David Sharrock, Maggie O'Kane, and Edward Pilkington look at the lives of the rebels who turned to killing, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Ann and Bobby fought regularly in front of the children, with virtually all of the fights leading to physical violence. Jobs were few and far between. Thompson got better opportunities there than if hed been walking the streets in Walton, says the author. 'You'd better tell the truth. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? 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. They were drawn to one another quickly. Ultimately, however, the couples indifferences led to separation, and they were eventually divorced in 1986. Neil had been laid off in the months prior, so the couple sold their home, and Neil moved back in with his father, before finally relocating to an apartment in Kirkdale. [3] [4] Thompson and Venables led Bulger away . That means he is currently 35-years-old. Natural Landmarks. this weekend for breaching the terms of his early release, the parents of both the Bulger killers continue to stand by them. As a grim portrait of abuse, drunkenness and neglect emerged, the hatred and loathing for Robert Thompson and Jon Venables was also turned on their parents. He was repulsed because he found Robert's disdain for authority scary. Jon Venables arrived at Walton St. Marys Church of England School a disrupted and attention-seeking boy, whose behavior was so bizarre at times that one of his teachers considered him to be emotionally unstable. 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. THE first time the boys set eyes on each other after they were arrested was in Preston crown court 3 1/2 weeks ago. 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. Trauma? How could two small boys savage and leave a toddler for dead? A police officer remembered Venables being so small that his legs didn't touch the floor as he sat in the custody office after his arrest. The Bulger Murder: Mother cannot believe that 'devious' child killed: At the end of the street a mesh wire frame coverered the window of the money lenders. Ann denied the physical abuse, but later admitted to being cruel to the boys at times. By now the Venables were reunited as a result of the court case. 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. Will you tell his Mum Im sorry?. Left to his own devices Jon liked to spend his playtime in fairly sedentary ways. 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. I wish we could turn the clocks back,' Mrs Venables, 36, said. Last November he was arrested and recalled to jail on suspicion of possession of images of child sex abuse. He was jailed for two years before being granted parole again in July 2013.. Everyone called him Chubby, because of his round, cherub's face. Click here to find personal data about Susan Venables including phone numbers, addresses, directorships, electoral roll information, related property prices and other useful information. 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He used to be bullied by other children for being so behind, and would return home at night visibly upset. In contrast he has had no contact with his father despite an approach soon after sentencing. His mother, Susan, attributed this behavior with peer pressure and hyperactivity, and put him on a special diet, though it did nothing to quell his frequent emotional outbursts. Once he stole decorating borders from a DIY shop which he discarded at regular intervals to mark his way home. fn ye vw la. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 'I couldn't be arsed talking about them,' said one. "I don't think we went wrong as parents at all. Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. But Robert was stuck in Walton with his older brothers and the baby. Her family were dignified throughout, but on that day one of theBulgerfamily supporters allowed themselvesa loud 'YES' as the verdicts came in. Apart from Jon's incident with the ruler, there had been no record of previous violence. We have found 88 people in the UK with the name Susan Venables. For weeks, she stayed in bed, not bothering to tend to the children, and when she finally did reemerge, she readily admitted she drank from morning to night, but had stopped taking the pills. He had left her to bring up six children alone. When Robert was asked what his hobby was he did not say trolls but 'skipping school'. The first time he asked Jon to play truant with him was last September, only weeks after they had become friends. He is an old-fashioned crime and punishment man. They deal with drugs, they deal with everything. On one occasion one of Anns sons let his real name slip at school and they had to move almost at once, says. "What he's done is wrong so he needs to be punished. They knew what they were doing," another wrote. 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. There was almost total silence there apart from the sound of shoes on the ground. I thought he was all right, Jon said of Robert during his police interviews. Channel 5 is set to air a new two-part documentary that tells the definitive story of . A smell of bleach lingered on some of the tiled steps that led up to the front doors. 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. "Youngsters are usually tried in a youth court, [Thompson and Venables] were tried in an adult court. 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. But his comment sparked anger from viewers. And now The Bulger Killers: Was Justice Done? Members of the Up Helly Aa 'Jarl Squad' parade through the streets in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon using a camera during her visit to BBC Studioworks in Glasgow, Passersby chat with the police as they arrive to see King Charles III and the Princess Royal attend a church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, People at a vigil at Lurgan Park in Lurgan, Co Armagh in memory of murder victim Natalie McNally and opposing violence against women, Firefighters use hoses to dampen down at the scene of a fire at St Marks Church in Hamilton Terrace, St Johns Wood, London, which has been destroyed by the blaze which began in the early hours of the morning, Huskies pull their musher during a training run before this weekends annual Aviemore Sled Dog Rally, in Feshiebridge, A knitted topper celebrating Burns Night placed on a post box in Alloway, Ayrshire, Deer graze during sunrise at Ashton Court Estate, Bristol, where clear misty skies and a cold morning brings frost across parts of the south west UK, Ambulance workers on the picket line outside the Donnington Ambulance Hub, at Donnington, near Telford, Shropshire. 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. When the fisticuffs ended, impressed by each other's performance, they made friends. INSIDE the court sat the two boys, dwarfed by the weight and majesty of the place. Their kids have got everything. Susan and neil venables. Her warnings arent being heeded, but 25 years on, I think she is probably right. I just think of James and his Dad and about all that fun with his little boy, like I had with Jon.".