“He Will Hurt Another Child” — James Bulger’s Father Issues a Chilling Warning as His Son’s Killer Faces a New Parole Hearing

In the shadow of one of Britain’s most harrowing crimes, a father’s unyielding grief echoes louder than ever. Ralph Bulger, the devastated parent of toddler James Bulger—brutally murdered in 1993 by two ten-year-old boys—has broken his silence with a raw, impassioned vow: “I won’t rest until I know this monster isn’t getting out any time soon.” As Jon Venables, one of James’s killers, gears up for yet another parole hearing, Ralph’s words cut through the decades of pain like a fresh wound. This isn’t just a story of loss; it’s a chilling reminder of evil’s persistence, the flaws in our justice system, and the eternal fight for innocence lost. With the hearing potentially timed to clash with the anniversary of James’s abduction or his would-be 36th birthday, the agony is compounded. Will Venables walk free? Or will Ralph’s defiant stand finally seal the door on a predator who, he warns, “will kill again”? Buckle in, readers—this tale of horror, resilience, and unrelenting justice will grip you to the core.

The Day Innocence Died: Reliving the James Bulger Nightmare

To understand the depth of Ralph Bulger’s torment, we must revisit the day that shattered a nation. It was February 12, 1993—a crisp winter afternoon in Bootle, Merseyside. Denise Fergus, James’s mother, was shopping at the New Strand Shopping Centre with her bubbly two-year-old son. James, just a month shy of his third birthday, was a cherubic toddler with blond curls and a infectious smile, the kind of child who lit up rooms. In a split-second distraction, while Denise paid at a butcher’s counter, James wandered off. Security cameras captured the unthinkable: two truant schoolboys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged ten, leading the trusting toddler by the hand out of the mall.

What followed was a descent into unimaginable depravity. The boys marched James over two miles through busy streets, ignoring his cries and pleas. Witnesses later recalled seeing the distressed child, but no one intervened decisively. At a deserted railway line in Walton, the horror unfolded. Venables and Thompson subjected James to sadistic torture: they threw paint in his eyes, pelted him with bricks and stones, inserted batteries into his mouth, and beat him with an iron bar. Finally, they left his broken body on the tracks, where a train severed it in two. James suffered 42 injuries, any one of which could have been fatal. His tiny shoes, placed neatly beside him, became a haunting symbol of the innocence stolen.

The nation was horrified. A massive manhunt ensued, fueled by grainy CCTV footage that showed the abductors’ chilling nonchalance. Venables and Thompson were arrested days later, their police interviews—over 20 hours of taped confessions—revealing a mix of bravado and remorse. The trial at Preston Crown Court in November 1993 was a media circus, dubbed the “trial of the century.” The boys, tried as adults but seated on raised platforms to see over the dock, were convicted of murder after 23 days. Mr Justice Morland sentenced them to indefinite detention, recommending a minimum of eight years in secure children’s units. “The killing of James Bulger was an act of unparalleled evil and barbarity,” he declared, words that still resonate.

The case sparked global debate: Were children capable of such monstrosity? Nature or nurture? Venables, from a broken home marked by neglect and violence, and Thompson, with a history of truancy and cruelty, became case studies in juvenile delinquency. Public outrage boiled over; petitions demanded they “rot in hell,” and Denise and Ralph’s raw grief fueled calls for harsher penalties. In 1999, the European Court of Human Rights ruled their trial unfair due to the adult-like proceedings, but upheld the convictions. By 2001, after psychiatric evaluations deemed them rehabilitated, they were released on licence with lifelong anonymity, new identities, and taxpayer-funded protection—costing millions over the years.

For Ralph Bulger, then 26 and separated from Denise, the release was a betrayal. “How can they let them out after what they did to my boy?” he lamented in interviews. James’s murder had destroyed him: he battled depression, alcohol, and suicidal thoughts, rebuilding his life with a new family but never escaping the shadow. Now 59, Ralph has authored books like My James (2013), channeling his pain into advocacy. Yet Venables’ repeated offenses have turned Ralph’s grief into a perpetual nightmare.

Jon Venables: From Child Killer to Serial Offender

Jon Venables’ post-release life reads like a cautionary tale of failed rehabilitation. Granted a new identity and relocated, he initially stayed out of headlines. But cracks appeared early. In 2008, reports surfaced of him frequenting nightclubs and boasting about his past—a violation of his strict licence conditions, which banned him from Merseyside and contact with children.

The first major breach came in 2010. Venables, then 27, was recalled to prison after police discovered child abuse images on his computer—hundreds of indecent photos of children as young as two. He had posed online as a mother offering her daughter for abuse, a chilling echo of his crime. Sentenced to two years, he was released in 2013 under even tighter anonymity.

Freedom was short-lived. In November 2017, a routine check uncovered a horror trove: over 1,000 child abuse images, including videos of toddlers being raped, and a “paedophile manual” detailing evasion tactics. Venables admitted to a “sickening” addiction, claiming the images aroused him. Jailed for 40 months, he has remained incarcerated since, cycling through parole bids every two years as per law.

The 2020 hearing denied release, citing public risk. But the 2023 decision was a turning point. In December 2023, the Parole Board refused parole outright, stating Venables posed an ongoing danger. Experts highlighted his “continuing issues of sexual pre-occupation,” lack of honesty with professionals, and refusal to attend the virtual hearing, citing mental health concerns. Ralph called it a “victory for common sense,” but warned: “He’s a manipulative operator who fools the system.”

Now, in a stunning reversal, the Parole Board announced on January 14, 2026, that Venables will face a full oral hearing—the first since his 2017 recall. Delayed by holiday reviews of expert reports, the decision blindsided James’s family. The hearing, potentially in February or March, could align with the 33rd anniversary of James’s death (February 12) or his birthday (March 16)—a cruel coincidence Ralph dubs a “kick in the guts.” For the first time, Ralph and Denise can attend, thanks to recent law changes allowing victims’ families input. But protections persist: Venables’ face hidden, voice distorted, likely from his prison cell. He may opt out entirely, as before.

This twist has reignited fury. Why now? Parole rules mandate reviews every two years for lifers, but advocates argue Venables’ pattern—murder, then repeated pedophilic offenses—proves he’s irredeemable. “What’s changed? Nothing,” Ralph insists. “He remains a predatory child sex killer.”

Ralph Bulger’s Raw Outcry: “He Will Kill Again”

Ralph’s response, shared exclusively with The Sun, is a gut-wrenching manifesto of paternal love and righteous anger. Speaking from his home, where photos of James adorn the walls, the 59-year-old father-of-four (with three children from his current marriage) doesn’t mince words. “The whole thing is just sheer agony,” he confesses. “I can’t bear the thought he will gain his freedom and hurt another child like my beautiful James.”

His statement brims with emotion: “I will stand at the hearing for my son James. For my enduring love for him, for justice for him and in defiance of Jon Venables.” Though not in the same room, Ralph vows Venables will hear his victim impact statement—the devastating toll of 33 years of trauma. “He needs to hear the grief and trauma he inflicted and be accountable for the terrible crimes he committed against my ­innocent baby son.”

Sleepless nights plague Ralph as the hearing looms. “I’ve had sleepless nights for months now waiting to hear if he will go before the parole board. Once again the decision lands just as we are facing the dreaded day James was stolen from us. It feels like I can’t breathe some days.” The cycle—parole bids every two years—feels like “rinse and repeat” torture. “This grotesque trauma just constantly plays out in my mind. It just never goes away—but neither will I.”

Ralph’s fear is visceral: Venables, he believes, is “wired wrong in the head,” obsessed with his crime and the Bulger family. “If he is released, he will be moving into an unsuspecting community under a new false identity where he is free to molest and murder another child like James. My loved ones can never be safe if this killer is a free man.” Citing Venables’ history, Ralph begs the board: “He’s had his chances and shown that the grotesque experiment to try and rehabilitate him has failed. It’s time to keep him locked up for good and throw away the key.”

Denise Fergus, James’s mother, shares the anguish. Now 55 and remarried with three sons, she expressed “anger and distress” over the hearing. “Venables has proved he cannot be given another chance,” she told The Sun. Her campaigns, including the 2018 push for public inquiries into the killers’ rehabilitation, have kept the case alive. Together, Ralph and Denise represent unbreakable parental resolve.

Public Outrage and the Justice System’s Flaws

The announcement has sparked a firestorm. Social media erupts with #JusticeForJames trending, petitions demanding Venables’ lifelong incarceration garnering thousands of signatures. “How many chances does a child killer get?” one viral post asks. Crime experts weigh in: Psychologist Dr. Emma Kenny calls Venables a “textbook case of unrepentant psychopathy,” warning his sexual fixations signal high reoffending risk. “The parole board must prioritize public safety over rehabilitation myths,” she urges.

Critics blast the system: Lifelong anonymity, costing £2 million annually per killer, shields Venables while victims relive trauma. Similar cases—like the 2008 Edlington torture by two brothers—echo the debate on juvenile killers. Thompson, Venables’ co-killer, has stayed offence-free, but Venables’ recidivism fuels arguments for whole-life tariffs.

Politically, calls mount for reform. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood faces pressure to veto releases in extreme cases, per new powers. Victim advocates like the Howard League push for transparency: “Families deserve peace, not perpetual fear.”

A Father’s Eternal Vigil: Hope Amid the Horror

As the hearing approaches, Ralph clings to hope. “I’m begging the parole board to see sense and deny parole again.” His life, forever altered, is a testament to love’s endurance. James, frozen in time as a smiling toddler, inspires Ralph’s fight. “My son’s rights died with him before he could even reach his third birthday. But there are other children to protect now.”

This saga isn’t over. Will the board heed Ralph’s plea, locking Venables away for good? Or will history repeat, unleashing a monster anew? One thing’s certain: Ralph Bulger won’t stop. In his words, “So long as I have breath in my body, I’ll do everything I can to stop that happening.” For James, for justice, for us all—his battle rages on, a stark warning that some evils demand eternal vigilance.