Justice Delayed, Not Denied: Denise Fergus Faces Another Parole Battle Over James Bulger’s Killer

More than three decades after the brutal murder of two-year-old James Bulger, his mother Denise Fergus continues her tireless fight for lasting justice. In January 2026, the Parole Board confirmed that Jon Venables—one of the two child perpetrators convicted in the 1993 killing—will face another hearing next month, reopening deep wounds for Fergus and reigniting national debate over rehabilitation, public safety, and victims’ rights.

The case that horrified Britain began on February 12, 1993, at the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside. CCTV captured the chilling moment 10-year-old Venables and Robert Thompson lured toddler James away from his mother Denise. The boys walked him over two miles before subjecting him to horrific torture and murdering him on a railway line. James’s body was found two days later. The trial at Preston Crown Court in November 1993 convicted both boys of murder, making them the youngest murderers in modern UK history. They served eight years in secure accommodation before being released on licence in 2001 with new, protected identities under a lifelong anonymity order.

While Thompson has maintained a low profile with no known further offenses, Venables’ life post-release has been marked by repeated criminality. Recalled to prison in 2010 for possessing indecent images of children, he was released again in 2013 only to be jailed in 2017 for over 1,000 child abuse images, including the most serious Category A material. These breaches demonstrated an ongoing risk, leading experts and campaigners to question whether true rehabilitation is possible in such cases.

The most recent major development came in late 2023, when the Parole Board denied Venables’ bid for release after a closed-door hearing. The panel cited his continued “sexual interest in children,” lack of genuine insight into his offending, and poor impulse control as reasons he still posed a danger to the public, particularly children. Denise Fergus, who submitted a victim personal statement, described the ruling as “the best thing to happen in 30 years” and a rare moment when she felt truly heard by the system.

Fergus has channeled her grief into advocacy. She founded the James Bulger Memorial Trust to support families affected by child murder, authored the memoir I Let Him Go, and campaigned for stronger protections against repeat offenders. Following the 2023 denial, she expressed cautious relief but warned that the battle was far from over.

That warning proved prophetic. In January 2026, the Parole Board announced Venables would receive another full hearing, scheduled for February. Fergus, now preparing to attend and submit fresh evidence, has spoken publicly of the “torment” and “unimaginable trauma” this process inflicts. In interviews with ITV News Granada and Good Morning Britain, she called for urgent legal reform—what she terms “Fergus’ Law”—to bar parole consideration for offenders who breach licence conditions twice, as Venables has done.

“I shouldn’t have to keep reliving this,” Fergus told reporters. “He lost that right the second he broke his licence. For James, for every family, we need change so this endless cycle stops.” Supporters have flooded social media with messages of solidarity, while petitions demanding Venables remain incarcerated have gained renewed traction.

The upcoming hearing will again be held in private, partly due to Venables’ safety concerns amid public hostility. Reports suggest he continues to struggle emotionally in custody, with some sources describing him as feeling “wronged” by the system. Yet for Fergus and many others, the priority remains protecting society from further harm.

The James Bulger case remains one of the most debated in British criminal justice history, raising profound questions about juvenile culpability, the efficacy of rehabilitation for serious young offenders, and the balance between redemption and lifelong consequences. As the new hearing looms, Denise Fergus stands resolute.

“James deserved better,” she has said repeatedly. “I will fight until my last breath so no other family endures this pain.” Her courage continues to inspire, even as the pursuit of final closure remains elusive.