James Bulger killer to remain behind bars after telling Parole Board he should stay in prison

Jon Venables: Tortured and murdered two-year-old James in 1993 after he and Robert Thompson, both then aged 10, snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside. File picture: PA

One of the killers of James Bulgertarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> is to remain behind bars after he told a Parole Board panel he should stay in prison.

Jon Venables told parole staff dealing with his latest review, which took place in private, that he was not seeking release.

A summary of the panel’s findings, published on Monday, said: “At the outset of the hearing, Mr Venables submitted an opening statement to the effect that he accepted the need to undertake further offending work in custody and so was not seeking release.”

The panel considered evidence from probation officers based in the prison and in the community, three psychologists, and a psychiatrist, and all bar one found that he should remain in prison.

Venables tortured and murdered two-year-old James in 1993 after he and Robert Thompson, both then aged 10, snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside.

Venables was released on licence in July 2001 and recalled to prison in February 2010, after indecent images of children were found on his computer.

He was once again freed in August 2013 and then called back in November 2017 for the same offence, and parole judges considered his case again in September 2020.