Venables was caught with 1,170 indecent photos of children on his laptop, the Old Bailey was told. We feel so sorry for him because he must be going through so much torment. Ironically, Jon was the child who caused his parents least anxiety. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. He began telling his father that he believed his parents loved his brother and sister more than they did him, and, at one point, implored his father to send him to school with his siblings. Venables on the other hand was becoming increasingly agitated in the police interviews. TWO BOYS. 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. I know how I feel as a mother. 'When the fisticuffs ended, they made friends.' How can people defend their actions .#TheBulgerKillers.". He would steal objects that he neither needed nor wanted, then chuck them away in the street. fn ye vw la. Ann was a heavy drinker, separated from her husband, also called Robert, who had deserted the family several years earlier and did not attend court. Keep them apart or he'll get into trouble, they said. It is here, of course, that Jon met and made friends with fellow eccentric, Robert Thompson. On the walls hung oil paintings of local judges and magistrates, their surfaces crinkled with age. On the 20 year anniversary of the murder of James Bulger, BBC Radio 5 Live's Shelagh Fogarty recalls the trial of his young killers. A video still of James Bulger, aged 2 years old, being led away in the 'New Strand' shopping centre. Thompson, who gained five GCSEs and A-levels in design and technology, is said to have developed an interest in theatre. We feel so sorry for him because he must be going through so much torment. James Bulger would now be weeks away from his 23rd birthday. The Royal Mint of a 50p coin featuring Professor Albus Dumbledore as part of a Harry Potter-themed collection. The reaction prompted James' mum Denise Fergus to let supporters know she had nothing to do with the programme. An Egret looking for his dinner! - Aswan, Egypt | Bird pictures, Aswan But his comment sparked anger from viewers. Chilling words of Jon Venables' parents resurface on 25th anniversary so they were put in a lower year. He was jailed for two years before being granted parole again in July 2013. They saw it with their eyes. I would say he was provoked. 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. Revealed: The horror drawing by Jon Venables weeks before he killed Both had a need to attract attention, which they achieved through a host of petty rebellions. I feel so sorry for them. The attitude when you live where we live is that you have to be tough or else you dont survive, she said. But. Will you tell his mum I'm sorry?". Neston Town Council unveil plans for Good Friday Easter Market, Drivers at risk of a 1,000 fine for these simple number plate mistakes, Trip Advisor: Six best Chinese restaurants in Wirral, 'Pubs need to adapt' if they are going to survive the times ahead, Birchwood company donates huge 45,000 to children's hospice, Series of strict conditions placed on dog after Widnes attack, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. 'His mum was more strict. It is not known whether the boy watched any of his father's adult movies. A maudlin ballad about Liverpool was playing in the back- ground and she was cooking the dish known as Scouse. These are the words of an officer who was in the police station when DCI Geoff MacDonald of Merseyside Police broke the news to Denise that James was dead. football, snooker, things like that. He has had more love and attention than a lot of children I know. Most of the fun revolved around shoplifting - sweets, trolls, pepperami, tins of modelling paint, drinks, candles; anything, really. So much happened whilst I was there involving Jon. 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. Robert Thompson was born to Robert Sr. and Ann Thompson on the 23rd day of August 1982, in Liverpool, England. Among the list were several horror films, including one video in which the police took special interest: Child's Play 3, a film which carries the line 'Children are consumer trainees'. More press conferences, terrible details beginning to emerge about the state James was found in, and the chilling prospect, soon confirmed, that indeed it was children who had done this. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? I didnt connect the dots until much later on. Neighbors later reported that it wasnt uncommon for Robert to be seen wandering the streets of Walton after midnight, since he was always running off at night. The couple, who also have a 13- year-old son, who has learning difficulties, and a 9-year-old daughter, denied that Jon was bullied by his brother or that he watched violent horror films at home. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The primary concern among the faculty was Roberts growing amount of absences. Both of them struggled at school and had been lumped into the year below their age. For a start, there were only three children, of whom Jon was the middle. "I think my son's concentration wasn't the way it should have been, but he wasn't slow. The couples first child, a son, had been born with a cleft pallet, and when Jon was born, much of the Venables focus was on getting their eldest son into speech therapy. "My heart really goes out to them. James Bulger was weeks away from his third birthday, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson behaved very differently in court, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause. Susan Venables, mother of Jon, blamed her son's "weakness" for the killing and said he was "fearful" and "provoked" by his accomplice Robert Thompson. "'It wasnt fair to interview him. Three days later his body was found, and three days after that a tip-off came from a shopkeeper who had seen two boys playing truant on the day James went missing and gave police two names - Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. 'He always seemed perfectly well behaved and I think he looked on me as some kind of grandma. Natural Landmarks. Susan seemed happy with the arrangement, although, for the children, this type of relationship would have been just one more confusing anomaly to cope with in the wake of an already confusing time in their young lives. She initially enrolled the two younger children in Broad Square Elementary, but it soon became clear that her daughter was struggling to keep up with the schools curriculum. However, given that the tension in the household was persistent throughout the most crucial of Jons formative years, the belief that he had moved through the ordeal entirely unaffected is questionable. Who were their parents? Celestial. They passed 36 people, with one recalling how they urged the boys to take their 'little brother' home because he was 'crying for his mummy'. THE first time the boys set eyes on each other after they were arrested was in Preston crown court 3 1/2 weeks ago. 'I think about little James and what he must have gone through, how they must feel. The fathers of both Robert and Jon were without work. Everton was his team. Money, or his family's lack of it, preyed on his mind. His mates called him a girl because whenever there was something on his mind he sucked his thumb. fun to be with" and always had plenty of friends. 'They would say 'take your son home'. re bz. Heck, we don't even have murderers that young in New York.'. Thompson admitted nothing. Thompson did what he often did, looked around, grabbing clumsily at his tongue. In the business world, too many people think it's all about being hard, tough, ambitious, or having grit. But they shouldn't have been tried in an adult court because they were still children. They knew what they were doing," another wrote. The other shops in the area were also armoured with mesh, including the Red Garden chipper where Robert used to pop in with his brothers most nights for a 25p bag of chips. By now the two boys from Walton were part of an international freak show. He is an old-fashioned crime and punishment man. Superintendent Albert Kirby, who headed the investigation, doesn't believe in the under-belly of Liverpool nonsense or stuff about the disintegration of modern society, the collapse of the nineties cities. In the years between Venabless first return to prison and this latest conviction he was deemed to be living successfully in the community, when in fact he was working out ways to dodge his internet ban and hiding a computer in his headboard in order to download abusive images of children, including what the judge described this week as serious crimes inflicted on male toddlers. Then they had carried, dragged and kicked him along a two and a half mile journey, at times swinging him violently in the air or dropping him against the road, until they reached the railway where they stoned him with bricks, bashed his head with a 22lb iron bar, and left him dead across the tracks to be cut in half by a passing goods train. They had to report him missing at the security office before he was found, and Jon's mother was very angry. It worked. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. What doing well means is anybodys guess. The citys worst instincts produced the wrongful hounding of a family whose sons people decided were responsible. "In terms of knowing what the full consequences of your actions are, you are into older childhood or adolescence. Were they to blame? We will never be able to do the fun things any more . There was almost total silence there apart from the sound of shoes on the ground. "He is easily led. He wore his dark hair short, almost a crew cut, which accentuated his ample forehead and blunt nose. Venables served seven years of a life sentence for the 1993 murder before he was freed in June 2001, aged 18. and things like that is that he was frightened. Everyone called him Chubby, because of his round, cherub's face. Grey Heron. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The Bulger Murder: Mother cannot believe that 'devious' child killed: King Charles III shakes hands with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky as he welcomes at Buckingham Palace, in London, ahead of an audience during his first visit to the UK since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. So he came home. Once Robert shared with him a tin of Roses chocolates which he had poured surreptitiously into his coat pocket. Some of the red brick houses were well-kept, others had torn net curtains and grubby windows. The end of the court case was not the end of course. They would sneak out during the morning break, hiding behind a wall before the coast was clear. Child killer Mary Bell and Maxine Carr, the former girlfriend of Soham murderer Ian Huntley, are the others. The two had an aberrant relationship with one another, in the sense that it was almost as though they had never divorced. Mrs Venables said: 'I think it was because the class group was too big for them to go in . It is claimed that taxpayers could have to fork out another 250,000 to provide a new life when he is eventually released. Susan Venables Profiles | Facebook . . Denise was in court that day. We still think the same of him as we always have. I wasnt on duty that day, so the very beginnings of the story washed over me. Since the murder Robert has been in a state of post-traumatic shock, hounded by nightmares and flashbacks from the railway tracks. I am providing this page for those who are interested in learning more about the lives of these boys prior to their offense. The most agonising thing about the whole case was that so many people had stopped them and questioned them. I just burst into tears because you just knew what that meanther heart was broken. 'Jon was fearful, weak, and he was provoked': Parents of boys who In contrast he has had no contact with his father despite an approach soon after sentencing. Shed never been back but she clearly missed Liverpool and had tried to recreate the city in her new home, he recalls. susan venables - Director - Juju & Co | LinkedIn 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. On one occasion one of Anns sons let his real name slip at school and they had to move almost at once, says. He started with Liverpool, but by the time of the murder he had switched to Blackburn Rovers. Jon was afraid of her. Jon's parents said they talked to their son about James after he was arrested, but had to stop. Behind them eyes bore into them - from everyone on all sides, journalists, their parents, members of the public, and of course, theBulgerfamily. All information on this page is true to my knowledge, and is not intended to diminish or justify either boys actions in any way whatsoever. Mrs Venables has also said that she felt heartbreak for James and his parents and shame for her son. They have never come out of hiding. Ann, desperate to escape the physical and emotional torment of living with her drunken father, was married to Robert, Sr. in December 1971, on the day of her eighteenth birthday. It was the kind of family neighbours compare themselves against and then feel better. "In order that justice can be done, no further details are being released at this stage and the proceedings are subject to reporting restrictions.". Mrs Thompson worked as an office cleaner until two years ago, when she got pregnant again by another man, who also left her. 'I think it has something to do with a hatred of vulnerability and babyness in themselves which they projected on to this toddler.'. To be absolutely accurate, she had only one illusion. His mother was not so keen on the idea - they cost pounds 35 each. Susan, aged 36, a sharp woman . Susan Venables, now 53, suffered from severe depres-sion and struggled with her two other children, an older son and younger daughter, who suffered learning difficulties. When she turned around moments later, her son was gone. They did. However, you will find some great articles which you can comment on right now in our Comment section. I have lost my son as well. Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. I'm warning yer,' she would say. . 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 Crown Prosecution Service released a statement in January confirming Venables had been charged. Take him home, the officer would say to her. I would say he was provoked. Two boys who forged a friendship out of breaking the rules. Murder of James Bulger - Wikipedia On the days he was at school he had a knack for stirring things up. 'I sat away from him - he caused trouble,' Jon said. EXCLUSIVE: 20 Years On, The Suzanne Capper Case - Confidentials Their parents entered the courtroom; The Venables arrived together, Ann Thompson came with supporters but no sign of Robert's father. Asked later if he could recall a time when his brother had exhibited any unusually aggressive tendencies, Roberts brother said no: Hes frightened of his own shadow. Nonetheless, in hindsight, its safe to assume that by 1993, ten-year-old Robert was swiftly approaching crisis point., Alarmingly, some of the neighboring children later claimed to have seen Robert behave cruelly towards animals, and pull the heads off of baby pigeons, although this was never unequivocally confirmed. March 10, 2021 - 20:29 GMT Eve Crosbie. Usually, they were slung out. Robert would give Jon presents of stolen objects: trolls, of course, toy terrapins, sweets. This time we came together in shock and disbelief. .". Unemployment levels were more than twice the national average in Walton. They deal with drugs, they deal with everything. The Radio Merseyside newsroom, where I was working at the time, was full and everyone was on this story one way or another. Susan Venables is on Facebook. Occasionally, when the children would be left sitting on the red wall outside the house too long, one of the neighbours would call the police to go and get her out of the Top House. Read about our approach to external linking. Ms Truss has written a 4,000-word essay in todays Sunday Telegraph in which she stood by her plans to boost economic growth during her short tenure in No 10, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker fails to stop team-mate Joel Matip (not pictured) from scoring an own goal during the Premier League match at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, A member of the public lines the road into St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire, with missing posters of Nicola Bulley, 45, as police continue their search for the missing woman who was last seen on the morning of Friday January 27, when she was spotted walking her dog on a footpath by the nearby River Wyre, Not your usual prisoner! 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. The shock in the city was plain to see, but it wasn't just in Liverpool that people stared at the CCTV pictures of the boy holding James' hand, while another led the way to the exit of the shopping centre where a frantic Denise Bulger would have been desperately looking for her child. 'You'd better tell the truth. Susan Venable - we found 141 people search records: 55 CVs and social profiles with photos, 50 addresses & phone numbers, 1 real estate objects, 6 Susan Venable's cars, 2 companies. When Jon's parents gave a recent press interview, it was Mrs Venables who did most of the talking; the father just sat and cried. 'It's always our family that gets the blame,' Robert said to police after he was arrested for James's murder. Her warnings arent being heeded, but 25 years on, I think she is probably right. He's quite bright and clever. He has never really been what you would call a sagger off school (a truant). I dont think she saw a very happy future., The author says there was no contact with the Venables family after the trial as Mrs Thompson focused, her energy on supporting her son, refusing to accept he was a monster. ql zo. He was a loyal fan, though he did not go often to Goodison Park. I said no. Security launched a search for James inside the centre and James' family searched for their son overnight. The boys at Dyson Hall were the object of some envy among their mates because they were given tracksuits and trainers upon arrival and went on trips to Alton Towers. One police officer described how Jon Venables was so small, his legs were swinging. His father, thin and balding, had a much gentler edge. has prompted a public outcry for an investigation into issues surrounding the case. what is the bite force of a baboon. she said. As their sweet voices rang around the courtroom, Venables hid his face in his oversized blazer and cried. ", Children accused of a crime are usually granted anonymity, but at the end of the trial the judge allowed both to be named, "because the public interest overrode the interest of the defendants.". Thompson got better opportunities there than if hed been walking the streets in Walton, says the author. Constantly fighting and battering one another, and possibly, too, being hit by their emotionally drained mother, the Thompson brothers often looked scruffy, and, on more than one occasion, were seen bearing bruises and bite marks. Neither gave evidence to the court, but were found guilty after an officer told how Venables admitted the murder, saying, "We did it. CCTV images revealed how James had been lured away by Thompson and Venables, who was also aged 10. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Susan was known as the town " whore". He would often have to stay in class at break times to catch up. 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. Why would I want to kill him? he said, referring to the slain toddler. I just think of James and his Dad and about all that fun with his little boy, like I had with Jon.". He was in great distress' And what about the little, innocent boy he killed??! The pair were handed new identities after being released from prison. Apart from Jon's incident with the ruler, there had been no record of previous violence. They looked, moved, fidgeted, scratched, cried - even sucked their thumbs - just like any 11-year-olds. He is broken- hearted over it. He had an elder brother, aged 13, and a nine-year-old sister. xf fy. Dudson was given a minimum term of 18 years. His response couldn't have been more different as he sank into the oversized blazer he was wearing. It was during this time that Susan, having suffered from clinical depression for many years, had experienced what were later described as two traumatic incidences, both of which Jon would have witnessed. . When shop keepers asked what they were doing they would pretend they were waiting for their mum. Best of all, they would spend time on the Walton railway line where Robert had built a den close to the bridge. Their age was hard to gauge from the CCTV images, so just when you imagined you couldnt be more shocked by this story, it emerged the two accused were just 10-years-old. DAVID James Smith, who visited Mrs Thompson at one of her secret homes, reveals that it was a sad existence. WALTON, where they both lived, is, in the jargon of planning, an inner-city urban priority area; neither the best nor the worst the city has to offer. Born on August 13th, 1982, Jon was the middle child of Neil and Susan Venables. This would have made little Robert the target of the fourth Thompson brother, who, in less than a years time, had confessed to arson, tried to stab his elder brother in a fit of rage, and had allegedly committed a lewd act against two small children (this incident was overlooked due to lack of evidence; however, because it was always considered a likely possibility that little Robert had been the victim of sexual abuse himself, and since Robert reportedly confirmed this years later, this occurrence involving his elder brother might be thought particularly revealing). Only two people can answer the question, and even their ability is doubtful. cl gz. Bird Pictures. Thompson was inscrutable in the dock as we heard his voice for the first time. 'We have never really been apart,' Mrs Venables said. After a while he tried to commit suicide to get back in. With Neil seldom in contact with Susan or the children during this time, Susan was forced to contend with Jons escalating troubles alone, sometimes taking her own frustrations out on the children. The week after he walked out the family's home burned down in an accidental fire. He frequented local cinemas and regularly hired videos for the night. They were drawn to one another quickly. IN their interviews with the two boys, psychiatrists could find no clues to why the boys acted so violently. As a result of the incident, Jon's mother decided to move him to another school. Born 10 days apart in August 1982 in Liverpool. Something went wrong, please try again later. A day later she would face much worse. 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.
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