Denise Fergus, the mother of murdered toddler James Bulger, is confronting a new wave of distress after being informed that her son's killer, Jon Venables, has been granted a parole hearing. The decision, confirmed by the Parole Board on 13 January 2026, means Venables will have a crucial oral hearing, expected within the next month, to argue for his release.
A Mother's Agony Renewed
For Denise Fergus, the news has reopened deep wounds, bringing what her spokeswoman described as "unimaginable trauma." She had hoped the Parole Board would refuse a hearing, a move that would have offered her a measure of peace. Instead, she now faces a prolonged period of uncertainty and the harrowing prospect of directly confronting her son's murderer once more.
Denise has been granted permission to observe the hearing, a significant but emotionally burdensome concession. She will be able to see the proceedings, though Venables' face will be obscured to protect his identity. Crucially, she will hear him speak for the first time since the trial over three decades ago, when he was a child. Her own victim impact statement is expected to be read aloud to the panel.
The Path to a Parole Hearing
The Parole Board decided to proceed with an oral hearing after reviewing written submissions from prison staff, counsellors, psychiatrists, and impact statements from James Bulger's family. Venables, now 43, was just 10 years old when he and Robert Thompson abducted, tortured, and killed two-year-old James from a Bootle shopping centre in 1993, a crime that shocked the nation.
Both were released on licence in 2001 after serving less than eight years in a young offenders' institute. While Thompson is not believed to have reoffended, Venables has been recalled to prison twice for possessing indecent images of children. In 2018, he was jailed for 40 months after admitting to possessing child abuse videos and a so-called "paedophile manual."
A History of Deemed Danger
This is not Venables' first bid for freedom in recent years. In December 2023, he was granted a two-day parole hearing but failed to attend, despite successfully arguing for it to be held in private away from the Bulger family. After two weeks of deliberation, the panel ruled he was "still a danger to children" and "could not be trusted."
The 2023 decision summary highlighted the panel's concerns about "continuing issues of sexual preoccupation" and doubted Venables' ability to be honest with professionals. It concluded that releasing him would not be safe for public protection. This history casts a long shadow over the upcoming proceedings, where the central question will once again be whether Venables poses an ongoing risk to the public, particularly children.
As the hearing date approaches, Denise Fergus and her family are left to endure another agonising wait, seeking a closure that has been denied for more than 30 years.
