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James Bulger Killer Jon Venables to Stay in Prison After Parole Board Ruling
Updated · First published 9 Nov 2026
Jon Venables, one of the two boys who murdered toddler James Bulger in 1993, will stay in prison after the Parole Board ruled he was not suitable for release – and after he himself told the panel he was not seeking to be freed.
The board said it was “not satisfied that Mr Venables was suitable for release”, and that there was “a need for further work in custody to address his sexual interests”. The decision was announced on Monday after a review held in private.
Read more: Russell Brand Jailed for 10 and a Half Years: Judge Calls Him a “Sexual Predator”
In an opening statement, Venables “accepted the need to undertake further offending work in custody”, so he did not ask to be released.
What the Parole Board said
The panel raised concerns about how well Venables would work with probation staff and how open and honest he would be if he were supervised in the community. Professionals described his remorse for the murder as genuine and sincere – “protracted and extreme” – but the board concluded the risk he poses had not been reduced enough.
A history of release and recall
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| February 1993 | James Bulger, aged two, abducted from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, and murdered by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both 10 |
| June 2001 | Venables released on a life licence with a new identity |
| February 2010 | Recalled to prison after indecent images of children were found on his computer |
| August 2013 | Released again with a second new identity |
| November 2017 | Recalled again for the same type of offence |
| September 2020 | Case considered by the Parole Board |
| November 2026 | Board rules he must stay in prison |
James Bulger’s mother, Denise Fergus, has campaigned for years for Venables to remain behind bars.
Photo: muchomoros / Shutterstock (illustrative)
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