Jon Venables, one of the two men convicted of the murder of two-year-old James Bulger, is facing another Parole Board oral hearing after his latest bid for release was referred under the normal parole process. The hearing will be held in private, despite a request from James Bulger’s mother, Denise Fergus, for it to be opened to the public.
Venables, now in his mid-40s, has spent most of his adult life in custody. His latest review comes more than two years after his previous parole application was refused, and it has again focused attention on one of the most closely followed cases in modern British legal history.
The Parole Board has confirmed that a hearing is to take place. What remains unresolved is why it is being held behind closed doors, what the panel will weigh in its assessment, and what the outcome could mean for a man who has repeatedly returned to prison since his original release.
What Did Jon Venables Do? The James Bulger Murder
On 12 February 1993, Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged 10, abducted, tortured, and killed two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool. At the trial at Preston Crown Court in November 1993, both boys were convicted of abduction and murder. Venables was sentenced to detention at Her Majesty’s pleasure with a minimum tariff of eight years.
Jon Venables, one of the two 10-year-old boys convicted of the 1993 murder of James Bulger.
On 12 February 1993, Venables and Robert Thompson abducted, tortured, and killed two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool.
Currently in prison following multiple recalls; the latest parole review will be heard in private.
Denise Fergus’s application for a public hearing was rejected by the Parole Board; no release decision has been announced.
Several findings stand out in the reporting on Venables’s case.
- Venables was 10 years old when he took part in the abduction and murder of James Bulger.
- He has been released on licence and recalled to prison more than once since 2001.
- The 2023 parole panel concluded that he still posed a danger to children and could reoffend.
- The 2025/2026 hearing is being held in private, with the Parole Board citing safety concerns.
- Denise Fergus has publicly called for greater transparency and opposed release.
- His past returns to custody were linked to indecent images of children.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jon Venables |
| Date of birth | 13 August 1981 (aged 43–44 in 2025) |
| Crime | Murder of James Bulger (12 February 1993) |
| Age at time of crime | 10 years old |
| Co-perpetrator | Robert Thompson (also aged 10) |
| Trial and conviction | November 1993; convicted of abduction and murder; sentenced to detention at Her Majesty’s pleasure (tariff of eight years) |
| Original release | June 2001, on life licence |
| First recall | 2010, after indecent images of children were found on his computer |
| 2023 parole decision | Release refused; panel said he remained a danger to children |
| Next hearing | 2025/2026; oral hearing to be held in private |
Why Is Jon Venables Still in Prison? Explaining His Parole Status
The Secretary of State for Justice can refer a parole review to the Parole Board, which then follows standard processes. Venables’s case is unusual because he has been released and returned to custody several times.
When Was Jon Venables First Released?
Venables was originally freed in June 2001, after serving around eight years in custody. He was released on licence and remained subject to recall for the rest of his life.
How Many Times Has Jon Venables Been Recalled to Prison?
The available reporting points to at least two returns to custody since release. Venables was taken back into prison in 2010, freed again in 2013, and then recalled once more in 2017 for a similar offence. A parole application was rejected in 2020, and another bid failed in 2023.
What Led to the Recalls?
BBC reporting notes that his past breaches included possession of indecent images of children, which was a major factor in his return to custody. The 2010 recall followed the discovery of child abuse images on his computer; the 2017 recall was for a similar offence. The detailed reasons behind the 2020 assessment were not made public.
A panel considers a wide range of evidence, including the original offence, any change in behaviour, the harm caused, and the risk to victims and the public. Hearings are generally oral when the panel needs to test evidence directly, and a decision is typically issued after the hearing rather than on the day itself.
What Is the Latest on Jon Venables’ Parole Hearing in 2025?
Venables now awaits a fresh parole review. His latest bid for release has been referred under the normal parole process, and the Parole Board has confirmed that an oral hearing will take place. Reporting places the hearing in 2025/2026, more than two years after his previous failed appeal.
Why Was the Parole Hearing Held in Private?
Parole hearings are usually private, but they can be made public when the board decides that doing so is in the interests of justice. In this case, the chair of the Parole Board said that high bar was not met.
According to Liverpool Echo reporting, the board said that making the hearing public would reduce transparency only in part because much of the evidence still had to be heard privately under an injunction protecting Venables’s identity and safety. The risk of serious physical attack or death was also cited as relevant to the decision.
What Did Denise Fergus Say?
Denise Fergus has repeatedly opposed release and asked for a public hearing. Reporting says she was granted permission to observe the upcoming hearing, although the proceeding itself remains private.
What Happens at an Oral Parole Hearing?
An oral hearing allows the panel to question evidence directly. BBC reporting on the parole process says a decision is generally issued after the hearing rather than immediately.
Under reforms introduced nationally in April, victims can now attend some private parole hearings. That does not mean the hearing itself becomes public. In this case, Denise Fergus was allowed to observe despite the closed proceeding.
What Are the Criticisms of Jon Venables’ Rehabilitation?
The sources do not include a detailed clinical or prison report on Venables. What the coverage consistently shows is that earlier parole failures turned on ongoing risk to children and concern that he could reoffend.
What Were the Failures in His Rehabilitation?
BBC reporting notes that Venables’s past breaches included possession of indecent images of children, which was a major factor in his return to custody. That pattern of release, breach, and recall has shaped criticism of his rehabilitation.
What Did the 2023 Parole Decision Find?
In 2023, parole officers refused release, saying he still posed a danger to children and could reoffend. BBC reporting on the decision said his release would not be safe for the public. He became eligible for another review roughly two years later.
Is Jon Venables a Danger to the Public?
The Parole Board has not published a full risk assessment for the current review. On the basis of the 2023 decision, the panel was not satisfied that release was safe. The upcoming hearing will re-examine that question.
The detailed evidence to be heard in the 2025/2026 review has not been released, consistent with a private hearing. No full official decision document from the Parole Board has been published, so the account of rehabilitation failings is limited to media reports about risk, previous offending, and parole outcomes.
When Did the Key Events in the Jon Venables Case Happen?
- : James Bulger is abducted and murdered by Venables and Robert Thompson.
- : Both boys are convicted at Preston Crown Court and sentenced to detention at Her Majesty’s pleasure.
- : Venables is released on life licence.
- : He is returned to prison after indecent images of children are found on his computer.
- : He is freed again, according to BBC reporting.
- : He is recalled again for a similar offence.
- : His application for release is rejected after assessment.
- : Another parole bid fails; the panel says he remains a danger to children.
- : A fresh parole hearing is listed, with the Parole Board deciding it will be held in private.
What Is Confirmed and What Is Still Unclear?
Several facts are firmly established in the reporting, while others remain unconfirmed because the parole process is private and no full decision document has been released. The exact hearing date is not confirmed in the available reports.
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| Venables was one of the two killers of James Bulger in 1993. | The exact date of the 2025/2026 parole hearing. |
| He served a custodial sentence and was released on licence in 2001. | Whether he will be granted parole or remain in prison after the review. |
| He has been recalled to prison multiple times since that release. | The specific risk assessments conducted by the Parole Board. |
| The 2025/2026 hearing was ordered to be held in private. | The detailed evidence to be heard in the review. |
| Denise Fergus publicly opposed the private hearing and was allowed to observe. | Robert Thompson’s current status, believed to involve a new identity with no known recalls. |
Why Does the Jon Venables Case Still Matter?
The case remains a defining reference point in debates about youth justice, offender anonymity, and parole transparency. Venables was one of the youngest killers in modern British history, and the decision to give him a new identity has kept public interest alive for more than three decades.
Parole reviews involving Venables attract exceptional scrutiny because of the original crime and his later offending history. The current dispute over public access highlights a broader legal tension: protecting an offender from serious harm while answering public interest in how risk is assessed.
That tension is not unique to this case. Other true-crime stories, including Nick Reiner – Indicted for Parents’ Murders, continue to raise similar questions about accountability and public trust in the justice system.
Who Is Saying What? Key Sources on the Parole Decision
“Jon Venables will have his latest parole bid heard in private despite a plea from his victim’s mother for it to be public.”
BBC News, August 2025
“The Parole Board has received an application from Denise and Stuart Fergus for the Parole Board hearing in the case of Jon Venables to be public.”
UK Government (gov.uk), 7 August 2025
“Venables was 10 years old in February 1993 when he and Robert Thompson… lured a small boy, James Bulger, from his mother.”
David James Smith, The Failings in the Rehabilitation of Jon Venables, 2025
What Happens Next for Jon Venables?
The Parole Board will issue its decision on Venables’s parole after the private oral hearing, with the outcome expected within weeks. If release is refused, he will remain in prison and can apply again after a set period, typically two years. If granted, he would be released under strict supervision with a new identity. Similar public interest surrounds other major crime cases, including Dawood Ibrahim – Mumbai Raids Expose Alleged Drug Network.
What Else Do People Want to Know About Jon Venables?
How old is Jon Venables now?
Jon Venables was born on 13 August 1981. As of 2025, he is 43 or 44 years old.
What is Robert Thompson doing now?
Robert Thompson is believed to be living under a new identity with lifelong anonymity. He has not been publicly reported as being recalled to prison since his original release in 2001.
Where is Jon Venables currently held?
The exact location is not publicly disclosed due to safety concerns. He is held in a UK prison under a protected identity.
Can Jon Venables ever be released?
Yes, if the Parole Board assesses him as no longer a risk to the public. However, he has been recalled multiple times, making future release uncertain.
What offences led to Jon Venables’ recalls?
He was returned to prison after indecent images of children were found on his computer in 2010 and again in 2017 for a similar offence. Details of later licence breaches have not been made fully public.
Oliver Arthur Morgan Harrison is a staff writer for StoryShift.uk, covering UK news, culture, politics and technology. He works under Editor-in-Chief Maarika Tamm and UK Managing Editor Oliver Grant, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.