Key facts
- James Bulger's mother, Denise Fergus, wants Jon Venables' parole hearing to be public.
- Fergus argues a public hearing would combat misinformation and help the public understand the parole process.
- Venables, who was 10 when he killed Bulger in 1993, has committed further offenses as an adult.
- The Parole Board has received an application for a public hearing, which Venables and his legal team can contest.
- The public can submit support or opposition to the application by August 14.
The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has demanded that the upcoming parole hearing for her son's killer, Jon Venables, be held in public. Denise Fergus argues that a public hearing would increase public understanding of the parole process and help combat "disinformation" that has "retraumatised" her family.
Venables, now 43, was 10 years old when he and Robert Thompson tortured and killed two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. He was first released on license in 2001 but was recalled to prison twice after being convicted of possessing indecent images of children in 2010 and 2017. Fergus was informed in January that Venables would have another opportunity to argue his case for release.