His identity is protected by a worldwide injunction - meaning that even trying to find out where he lives could land you in jail. He excelled in his academics and began to develop an interest in textiles. Channel 5 is set to air a new two-part documentary that tells the definitive story of the murder of James Bulger, who was horrifically killed by Jon . Though authorities initially thought Bulger had been abducted by an adult, CCTV footage revealed the shocking truth that he had been taken by two kids. Robert Thompson had a tough childhood and there were allegations of . I shouldnt have let go.. Nine months later, the trial began. A freak of nature. DetectivePhil Roberts was on Merseysides serious crime squad when he got a call at 6am on February 13, 1993, about a two-year-old boy who had gone missing from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle. Officials wrote: "The panel listed as risk factors those influences that made it more likely that Mr Venables would reoffend in the future. Thompson was held at Barton Moss near Manchester, where he cultivated an interest in subjects like art and theater. From 1993 to 2001, Venables served time in the Red Bank secure unit in St. Helens, Merseyside. Moreover, court-appointed psychiatrists determined that the two boys knew right from wrong and werent sociopaths, but were nevertheless able to uncover any concrete motives for James Bulgers murder something no professional has been able to confidently determine even in the years since. To this day, the motive still remains unclear. Learn more about it in the article below. I shouldnt have let go of his hand, Fergus later said. She quickly found mall security personnel and described her son and what he was wearing. Following his eight-year sentence for the horrific crime, Robert Thompson was freed and given a new identity. Another suspect, Jon Venables was also taken into custody. James Bulgers father Ralph said he could rest easy as one of his sons killers was refused parole, but feared he would re-offend if he was ever released. "The risk factors identified at the time of his offending included his sexual interests and an attraction to sexual violence as well as other issues considered relevant but amenable to change. ROBERT Thompson abducted and tortured to death two-year-old James Bulger alongside his partner in crime Jon Venables when they were just ten years old. With Bulgers mother, Denise, momentarily distracted, they got the toddler to come with them. But this wouldn't be the only time Venables would have a brush with police. BWP Media via Getty ImagesJames Bulger at age two. Venables has now been caged for 40 months foradmitting having a paedo manual explaining "how to have sex with little girls" as well as over 1,000 vile child abuse images. ROBERT Thompson abducted, tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger alongside his partner in crime Jon Venables when they were just 10 years old. What befell James Bulger? Four years later, Venables returned to prison on the same charge. By all accounts, Venables and Thompson showed no violent or aberrant behavior in prison but instead served their time for the James Bulger murder quietly and without incident. Popular disgust only intensified when witnesses and the media noted Thompsons cold, seemingly remorseless behavior at trial (compared with Venables hysterical outbursts). They then led him to an area called Walton in Liverpool, where they tortured him, beat him to death, and abandoned his body on a railway track in an effort to make his murder look like an accident. Finally, the boys hit Bulger over the head with a 22-pound iron bar, which resulted in 10 skull fractures. At the mall, James Bulger killers wandered from shop to shop, stealing anything they could get their hands on, then tossing their stolen booty down escalators just for the fun of it. It was a crime that shocked the nation and a story that will never be forgotten. On one occasion, his probation officer made a home visit and saw that Venables was busy trying to destroy a hard drive from his computer. There are currently six infamous Brit criminals whose crimes are so notorious they have been given lifetime anonymity. With evening approaching, an elderly woman saw Bulger crying, noticed his injuries, and approached the trio to enquire what was wrong. February 13, 1993. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. More than 25 years later, the surveillance image above remains etched in the minds of the millions familiar with the James Bulger case. The toddlers heartbreaking final words were: I want my mum.. The older boys Jon Venables and Robert Thompson seem like they could be the brothers of the toddler as some bystanders thought in the mall that day. PA Images via Getty ImagesA policeman stands guard at the entrance of the site where the body of James Bulger was found on a railway embankment in Liverpool. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. They were released on lifelong licence in 2001, but Venables was . Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in Britain for 250 years and it was recommended they remained locked up for eight years. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Robert Thompson and Venables became Britain's youngest killers for 250 years, James Bulger was snatched from his mum in a shopping mall in Merseyside, Denise Fergus shows previously unseen family photos of her murdered two-year-old son for a new documentary 'James Bulger: A Mother's Story with Trevor McDonald', Greece train crash: Inside 10 seconds of terror after worst ever head-on smash sparks derailment blaze leaving 38 dead, Man, 43, died after being held down by security guards at Sainsbury's, Woman, 37, found dead in posh flat near racecourse as man charged with murder, Full list of school closures today as tens of thousands of teachers walk out how to check latest advice for parents, has now been caged for 40 months foradmitting having a paedo manual explaining "how to have sex with little girls", Venables is to keep his anonymity after a judge ruled it would protect him from "serious violence", Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The young men pummeled . Three months later, he got off with a warning after police caught him in possession of a small amount of cocaine. The boys hesitated, perhaps reconsidering what they were about to do, and did briefly turn away from the embankment. The next day, police searched the canal where the boys had been earlier in the afternoon because an eyewitness had reported seeing Bulger there. The killer was 10-years-old when he and Robert Thompson murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, which is. Venables and Thompson abducted James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside before brutally torturing and murdering the tot and left his body by a railway line. The cops soon checked both boys homes. On February 12, 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables abducted a 2-year-old boy named James Bulger from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, England. June 24, 2011. The woman began calling for her son and ran outside, where she found Venables and Thompson beckoning the boy to follow them. On March 4, 2019, it was announced Thompson's accomplice Jon Venables is to keep his anonymity after a judge ruled it would protect him from "serious violence". As for Venables, he has been thrown in prison again on multiple occasions, most notably for possession of child pornography and a pedophile manual, which described how to abuse young girls in sickening detail. A three-page document also noted Venables had not requested a release from prison or a transfer to an open jail. His father had abandoned the family early on, causing his depressed mother to turn to alcohol and even attempt suicide. Jons first brush with authorities after his release came after a bar brawl in 2008. But by 4:15 p.m., there was no sign of the boy and so he was quickly reported missing to the police. By this time, Denise was panicking. Since being freed, Venables alone is thought to have cost the public around 5million. Now the tide has turned and finally he is facing real prison time where he should have been from the beginning., *Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger airs tonight on Channel 5 at 9pm and continues at the same time on Thursday, Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. He was so badly battered, authorities later concluded, that there was no way to tell which injury represented the fatal blow. Both boys were ordered to be imprisoned until review when they turned 18. DetectivePhil Roberts was on Merseysides serious crime squad when he got a call at 6am on February 13, 1993, about a two-year-old boy who had gone missing from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle. The murder captivated the nation as people wondered what would motivate two 10-year-olds to abduct and murder a defenseless toddler. James Bulger was seized and killed by Robert Thompson and his accomplice Jon Venables. The search ended two days after the disappearance when four children discovered Bulgers body on the railway track just 200 yards from the nearest police station. At first, Thompson denied everything. After bringing in Thompson and Jon Venables for questioning, Phil said: As far as Im concerned that day 20 years ago I stared evil in the face. Venables and Thompson were both charged. Over the course of interviews lasting several days, Venables eventually confessed. But the two ten-year-olds said, We just found him at the bottom of the hill.. "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).". Before long, an anonymous caller reported to the police that Thompson and Venables were behind the murder, revealing that both boys had been absent from school on the day of Bulgers disappearance and that there may have been some criminal evidence on Venables jacket. Venables and Thompson were then sentenced to serve at Her Majestys pleasure, as is standard protocol for juvenile offenders convicted of murder or manslaughter. Ten-year-old Robert Thompson, one James Bulgers killers, poses for a mugshot for British authorities on February 20, 1993. They were remanded to separate maximum security juvenile institutions under aliases, out of fear for their safety. Robert hasn't reoffended. In 2008, The Netline reports that Venables was arrested following a bar fight at a local pub. Most recently, Venables was denied parole in September 2020. His mysterious death. 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