Thompson was inscrutable in the dock as we heard his voice for the first time. He carried books on wrestling and wildlife in his school bag. Recently, I dug out my old notebooks of the trial and my handwriting during the verdicts says it all. They have never come out of hiding. [3] [4] Thompson and Venables led Bulger away . Not surprisingly, Ann had also attempted suicide in the same manner, some months before. I would say he was provoked. He is far from it. Given the Venables family history, it was later suggested that Jon could arguably have been affected by an undiagnosed disorder at the time, and was clearly emotionally underdeveloped. He has had Christmas presents. Just as Venables's confession convicted him, a shoe print belonging to Robert Thompson, found on James cheekbone, confirmed his guilt, too. But his progress took a nose dive in September 1991 when he was transferred into another class. Self pity? An Egret looking for his dinner! - Aswan, Egypt | Bird pictures, Aswan He was fearful, he was weak and he was provoked," she said. Facebook gives people the power. Neither gave evidence to the court, but were found guilty after an officer told how Venables admitted the murder, saying, "We did it. The detective explained how, before she left, she soothed him, told him his parents would love him whatever he told the police, reminding him that Denise neededto know what had happened to her baby. The attitude when you live where we live is that you have to be tough or else you dont survive, she said. It is here, of course, that Jon met and made friends with fellow eccentric, Robert Thompson. Constantly restless, his workbooks were empty, and he would often be denied recess because he was so far behind. At 2:30 they went to the two-story shopping centre. The left will make play of social deprivation, unemployment, bad housing and general inner-city rot. 'I can't read hard words,' he said. Last November he was arrested and recalled to jail on suspicion of possession of images of child sex abuse. 'I think it has something to do with a hatred of vulnerability and babyness in themselves which they projected on to this toddler.'. Her family were dignified throughout, but on that day one of theBulgerfamily supporters allowed themselvesa loud 'YES' as the verdicts came in. He has had his holidays like everyone else. We feel so sorry for him because he must be going through so much torment. This would have been at about 5.30pm - just the time the boys were about to begin killing Jamie. He caused me such anxiety, the teacher later recalled of Jon in a statement given to the Merseyside police. My young body must have been tense with the deep anxiety that permeated every inch of that courtroom. 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He always had plenty of friends. She initially enrolled the two younger children in Broad Square Elementary, but it soon became clear that her daughter was struggling to keep up with the schools curriculum. In the mean time, Susan, finding her new living conditions insufferable, soon decided to move back in with Neil until she could find another place of her own. The toddler's mum Denise Bulger was at the counter of a butchers in the Strand shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool, on February 12, 1993, when she briefly let go of her son's hand to get some change from her purse. They were in the Strand shopping centre in Bootle when the brother wandered off. His mother called him hyperactive since, even more than his friend, he was scarcely able to sit still. In 2010, Meggie Atkinson, then children's commissioner for England, called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 12 in light of the trial. He said he was frightened of Robert's older brother. . James Bulger's killers: Where are Robert Thompson and Jon Venables? He believes these were evil boys. fun to be with". They deal with drugs, they deal with everything. That means he is currently 35-years-old. Will you tell his mum I'm sorry?". Unemployment levels were more than twice the national average in Walton. 2023 BBC. Then, one Friday in February, they discovered a new rule to break: they murdered a two-year-old. We feel so sorry for him because he must be going through so much torment. At first, Robert seemed to respond well to this, taking the initiative to help feed and clothe the baby, and doing what he could to please his mother. She visited regularly and they would hold family anniversaries in the, place where he was held. Eventually, Bobby walked out on his family, but not before beating his wife one final time. Robert's mother agreed with her son's assessment: 'Name one family in the area who would have a good word for us.'. The documentary on the James Bulger murder case sparked anger after viewers criticised the Channel 4 show for "sympathising" with the toddler's killers. EXCLUSIVE: 20 Years On, The Suzanne Capper Case - Confidentials When she turned around moments later, her son was gone. The bird was taken to the vets where they are nursing it back to health. The primary concern among the faculty was Roberts growing amount of absences. 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We still think the same of him as we always have. "Contrary to what the papers will tell you, he is not a little urchin boy. Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. They were sent home to their mother at one point, but after attempting suicide with overdoses, were placed back into care. However, given that the tension in the household was persistent throughout the most crucial of Jons formative years, the belief that he had moved through the ordeal entirely unaffected is questionable. They would sneak out during the morning break, hiding behind a wall before the coast was clear. 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"BULL**** about 'two frightened kids whod made a terrible mistake' The tapes said they kept stoning him, even when he kept getting up. Look at mine. Why would I want to kill him? he said, referring to the slain toddler. He was jailed for two years before being granted parole again in July 2013. They pair was ordered to be detained at her majesty's pleasure - meaning indefinitely - but in 2001, a six-month review by the parole board found they were no longer a threat to public safety and they were released on life licence after serving just eight years. The government will be required to respond within 14 days if as the petition achieves more than 100,000 signatures. Scores more watched proceedings from a neighbouring office block which, for the duration of the trial, came under court jurisdiction. Architect Shahed Saleem in the Ramadan Pavilion 2023 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Jon Venables is demonstrably no such thing. It was so stressful trying to contain him. Susan Venables Facebook: susan.venables.9 Lives in Mellor, Blackburn With Darwen, . It was on his way back to the interview room when Venables finally admitted it: "We did it. Resentful of her husbands lack of involvement with the children, Susan conceded that the couple fought constantly, especially throughout 1983, but maintained that Neil had never been aggressive towards her, nor had she hit him. Her warnings arent being heeded, but 25 years on, I think she is probably right. Thompson and Venables, now both 27 years old, are among only four individuals in the UK whose crimes are so notorious that they have been given lifelong anonymity. At Preston Crown Court Thompsons mother Ann and Venables parents Neil and Sue sat side by side. 'It's always our family that gets the blame,' Robert said to police after he was arrested for James's murder. The case is doomed to be picked over by every faction within the caring professionals and politics. Forlorn hope, though. They knew what they were doing," another wrote. One police officer described how Jon Venables was so small, his legs were swinging. I know how I feel as a mother. The pattern of bullying among the brothers, which had been noted by the Head mistress of the boys school, appeared to descend down the line, with the eldest Thompson brother beating the one just below him in age, and that brother beating the brother below him, in turn. Profile: Jon Venables - BBC News The teacher had a different perspective, saying that Susan was in fact aware of the issue, and had expressed deep concern. He was also given 'respite care' - six weekly weekend breaks to relieve the family of the burden of looking after him. That was in September 1991, 17 months before they killed James Bulger. Jon Venables said the class teacher tried to entice Robert by offering him a prize for a week's continual attendance - he did, but the prize never came. Thompson, who gained five GCSEs and A-levels in design and technology, is said to have developed an interest in theatre. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James injuries. "Just TV programmes and little things remind me of the good times we had together . Susan seemed happy with the arrangement, although, for the children, this type of relationship would have been just one more confusing anomaly to cope with in the wake of an already confusing time in their young lives. 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Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. It is claimed that taxpayers could have to fork out another 250,000 to provide a new life when he is eventually released. Most of the fun revolved around shoplifting - sweets, trolls, pepperami, tins of modelling paint, drinks, candles; anything, really. .". susan and neil venables "I don't think we went wrong as parents at all. The officer who questioned Venables took the stand and explained how he had asked Susan Venables to absent herself from the next session as her presence was now inhibiting her son from telling the truth. Susan opted to remove him from the school then, and some months later, she reenrolled him in St. Marys in Walton. At Preston Crown Court a few months later, I was one of a handful of journalists given full access to the small courtroom for the trial of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both now 11-years-old. ql zo. He's quite bright and clever. As their sweet voices rang around the courtroom, Venables hid his face in his oversized blazer and cried. The other shops in the area were also armoured with mesh, including the Red Garden chipper where Robert used to pop in with his brothers most nights for a 25p bag of chips. David James Smith, who wrote a book about the Bulger case, The Sleep Of Reason, and stayed in touch with Ann Thompson afterwards. See that cell. 'Sometimes I told Robbie to do things so he does,' he told a police officer, with pride in his voice. Jon was also mad on computers. One neighbour said she always let him into her home whenever his mother was out. "My heart really goes out to them. "We are committed to driving sustainability in the leather industry, through the commitment of. On many occasions, Susan was observed physically and verbally assaulting Jon. There was a pattern of bullying, with the older boys picking on their younger brothers down the line. They said their son met Robert Thompson in September 1991, when Jon was transferred from another school. his killers were just 10 years old and attention focused on their upbringing and dysfunctional home life. The best photos of birds and other wildlife from around the world. But his comment sparked anger from viewers. I got on with my job, but months later the impact of that trial had sunk in and a difficult, tearful, confusing year followed for me. Sandra Gotheridge. Three days later his body was found, and three days after that a tip-off came from a shopkeeper who had seen two boys playing truant on the day James went missing and gave police two names - Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. The best instincts led hundreds, including me, to lay flowers a few days later at the site of James horrific end. I am not sure if in fact he was seen by the school psychologist, but I did complete a form for him.. Both were banned from ever returning to Liverpool and given new identities at a reported cost of 1.5million. Robert Thompson was born to Robert Sr. and Ann Thompson on the 23rd day of August 1982, in Liverpool, England. But now and again. Mrs Thompson worked as an office cleaner until two years ago, when she got pregnant again by another man, who also left her. Bird Pictures. Grainy CCTV footage shows them walking James away from the Strand . For me, though, it is Susan and Neil Venables who stay most in my memory of that day. He also liked to scare old ladies by jumping out in front of their noses. His mother, Susan, attributed this behavior with peer pressure and hyperactivity, and put him on a special diet, though it did nothing to quell his frequent emotional outbursts. "In order that justice can be done, no further details are being released at this stage and the proceedings are subject to reporting restrictions.". Get out and get into Dyson Hall children's centre, the only residential care school in the country just outside Liverpool. Dudson was given a minimum term of 18 years. From the start, Jon was drawn and repulsed by Robbie like opposite and equal poles of a magnet. Mrs Thompson said she was so often called to Walton Lane police station to retrieve her truanting son that they should have given her a job there. The Liverpool Echo boasted that their man had one of 'just 34 seats' allocated to the international press. On one occasion, he said, Robert ran off down the street laughing, "You can't catch me". Without anyone in the family to turn to for support, he had to look outside for people whose swaggering aggression he could emulate. After they became friends he initiated Jon into the delights of climbing into people's back gardens and the consequent thrill of being chased out by the owners. 'His mum was more strict. Yes, these things are important, but trust. His parents, Susan and Neil, accompanied him during the interview process. 'I sat away from him - he caused trouble,' Jon said. Venables and Thompson abducted, tortured and killed two-year-old James in Liverpool in 1993 when they were both aged just 10. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (second left) and Scottish Secretary Alister Jack (second right) during a visit to the Port of Cromarty Firth, Invergordon, during a two day visit to Scotland to highlight the benefits of remaining in the United Kingdom as he seeks to counter Nicola Sturgeon's push for independence, King Charles reacts as he visits the Aboyne and Mid Deeside Community Shed in Scotland, There are only a handful of images of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, 'Jon was weak and was provoked': Parents of Jamie Bulger killers speak, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands.

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