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It was this empowering chemistry between them that some argued set into motion the life-altering events that would devastate a family, challenge a community, and rock a nations core in the disquieting months that followed. It was a sign of such restlessness that he was unable to hang on to a football team for long - he kept shifting his allegiance like a floating voter. portrayed him as the leader and evil one, says James Smith. It's high time they were investigated. Ann denied the physical abuse, but later admitted to being cruel to the boys at times. Everton was his team. "All he said when we've said 'Why didn't you run away?' A torrent of questions erupted from the moment the grim news came out that James Bulger's body had been found on a railway line in Liverpool and the last people seen with him were two ten-year-olds, captured on grainy CCTV footage. - a grey heron in Asawn, Southern Egypt. His mother called him hyperactive since, even more than his friend, he was scarcely able to sit still. Directly in front of the bench was the raised dock in which Thompson, Venables, and two social workers would sit for the next four weeks. Neil had been laid off in the months prior, so the couple sold their home, and Neil moved back in with his father, before finally relocating to an apartment in Kirkdale. "It was very dark and I shouted down, shouted his name. On countless occasions, Bobby battered his wife, once causing her to miscarry, and his temper didnt stop at his wife. The pair were handed new identities after being released from prison. . They passed 36 people, with one recalling how they urged the boys to take their 'little brother' home because he was 'crying for his mummy'. 'In my opinion he was victimised. I said no. 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. My young body must have been tense with the deep anxiety that permeated every inch of that courtroom. When shop keepers asked what they were doing they would pretend they were waiting for their mum. Something went wrong, please try again later. The bleached houses were peppered with burglar alarms, the shabby ones did not look worth the trouble. This would have made little Robert the target of the fourth Thompson brother, who, in less than a years time, had confessed to arson, tried to stab his elder brother in a fit of rage, and had allegedly committed a lewd act against two small children (this incident was overlooked due to lack of evidence; however, because it was always considered a likely possibility that little Robert had been the victim of sexual abuse himself, and since Robert reportedly confirmed this years later, this occurrence involving his elder brother might be thought particularly revealing). As a grim portrait of abuse, drunkenness and neglect emerged, the hatred and loathing for Robert Thompson and Jon Venables was also turned on their parents. 'If, in their own lives, they have had it extremely tough and been bullied and neglected and abused then they end up rapidly having to prove themselves to be extremely tough and invulnerable - a bit like Arnold Shwarzenegger in The Terminator. Ann, desperate to escape the physical and emotional torment of living with her drunken father, was married to Robert, Sr. in December 1971, on the day of her eighteenth birthday. Most people would regard such sentiments as having come rather late in the day and certainly too late to save poor James. Jon's parents said they talked to their son about James after he was arrested, but had to stop. IN A letter to her son written soon after he was sentenced, Ann Thompson wrote: no matter what you did or didnt do, Im your mother and I will stay with you no matter what happens.. But I still kept him in if he was naughty or anything like that.'. Neil explained to him that the school they attended was special, and that Jon wouldnt be accepted. A pathologist later said that there were so many injuries - 42 in total - that not one could be isolated as causing the little boy's fatal wound. But talking in 1993, his mother tried to explain how her child turned into a murderer. 'I couldn't be arsed talking about them,' said one. By now, Robert had also stepped comfortably into the role of the aggressor, and, following in the footsteps of his elder brothers, began tormenting his eight-year-old brother on a daily basis. Denise was in court that day. Trauma? When he played truant he was scared she would come and find him. The base of the dock floor at Preston Crown Court had to be raised 18 inches so each boy could see over it. Englands Ollie Chessum dives in to score his sides second try during the Guinness Six Nations match at Twickenham Stadium, London, Sam Smith arrives for the Brit Awards ceremony, A robin redbreast takes flight in Dublins botanic gardens. They were sent home to their mother at one point, but after attempting suicide with overdoses, were placed back into care. re bz. Jon's first year after he was moved was relatively successful. He's a good reader if he's interested in it. He stayed away from school so often the local police called him a professional truant. At Preston Crown Court Thompsons mother Ann and Venables parents Neil and Sue sat side by side. The couple fought frequently as to their eldest sons troubles, which they later learned included mild learning difficulties, and Susan, at times becoming so exasperated by the situation, began to resent her sons presence. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. The experience gave Jon renewed confidence, and the second time they sagged off together he suggested it. [3] [4] Thompson and Venables led Bulger away . It was not until much later, when questioned as to his involvement in the death of James Bulger, that Roberts resentment towards the new baby became suddenly and painfully apparent. Susan Venables Facebook: susan.venables.9 Lives in Mellor, Blackburn With Darwen, . The mayor of Preston accused them of being sick ghouls, but still they came, queuing up for tickets two hours before proceedings began. On many occasions, Susan was observed physically and verbally assaulting Jon. Robert would give Jon presents of stolen objects: trolls, of course, toy terrapins, sweets. The best photos of birds and other wildlife from around the world. 'Sometimes I told Robbie to do things so he does,' he told a police officer, with pride in his voice. We still think the same of him as we always have. Extraordinarily, she even shouted up to the railway tracks at Walton where she knew Robert had a den. sons, were settled in council houses within easy reach of the institutions where their sons were being held. football, snooker, things like that. Susan, aged 36, a sharp woman . I didnt, did I? she said to Neil during their interview with Gitta Sereny. his mother was told that it was important that she stayed in his life and stood by him. ", Her husband, Neil, said: "If you had a league table of children, you would put him at the bottom of the list for anything like this.". In the last few years she stopped drinking in the Top House and tried to keep things together. At the trialnine months laterI would learn that Robert Thompson had been among those people. Another added: "An awful mistake??!! The only sign he was discomforted by hearing it was a near constant pulling of his tongue in his hands. 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. They have never come out of hiding. Liked by susan venables. She was prone to hysteria and hailed from a 'strict and disciplined' background. He would throw things at other children, cut himself deliberately with scissors and stick paper all over his face. How could two small boys savage and leave a toddler for dead? Behind them eyes bore into them - from everyone on all sides, journalists, their parents, members of the public, and of course, theBulgerfamily. Mrs Thompson worked as an office cleaner until two years ago, when she got pregnant again by another man, who also left her. He started with Liverpool, but by the time of the murder he had switched to Blackburn Rovers. I'm bringing up on my own but if I went round and screwed every warehouse my children would have everything too.'. He said he was frightened of Robert's older brother. . He was repulsed because he found Robert's disdain for authority scary. They were intent on killing. He has had his holidays like everyone else. Those who knew him well said he was a very emotional child, prone to mood swings. Venables on the other hand was becoming increasingly agitated in the police interviews. Members of the Up Helly Aa 'Jarl Squad' parade through the streets in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon using a camera during her visit to BBC Studioworks in Glasgow, Passersby chat with the police as they arrive to see King Charles III and the Princess Royal attend a church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, People at a vigil at Lurgan Park in Lurgan, Co Armagh in memory of murder victim Natalie McNally and opposing violence against women, Firefighters use hoses to dampen down at the scene of a fire at St Marks Church in Hamilton Terrace, St Johns Wood, London, which has been destroyed by the blaze which began in the early hours of the morning, Huskies pull their musher during a training run before this weekends annual Aviemore Sled Dog Rally, in Feshiebridge, A knitted topper celebrating Burns Night placed on a post box in Alloway, Ayrshire, Deer graze during sunrise at Ashton Court Estate, Bristol, where clear misty skies and a cold morning brings frost across parts of the south west UK, Ambulance workers on the picket line outside the Donnington Ambulance Hub, at Donnington, near Telford, Shropshire. But now and again. The family was already exhaustingly overextended, and Robert, being the fifth edition, was quick to pick up on the coping mechanisms needed to survive in a life of unremitting chaos and enmity. He had that odd combination of obsession with and disdain for possessions that is characteristic of children who have never enjoyed any of their own. If it suited his moodwhich it frequently didBobby would beat the boys, curse at them, and threaten to send them to a home for children who misbehaved. School had no hold on him - there was no corporal punishment or other form of penalty that touched him. 'America is the land of shopping malls. They hid his body under bricks so that the first train to come along cut his body in two, but he was already dead before this happened. Their parents entered the courtroom; The Venables arrived together, Ann Thompson came with supporters but no sign of Robert's father. He is an old-fashioned crime and punishment man. ", Children accused of a crime are usually granted anonymity, but at the end of the trial the judge allowed both to be named, "because the public interest overrode the interest of the defendants.". They saw it with their eyes. He frequented local cinemas and regularly hired videos for the night. At his first primary school the headmistress referred him to a psychologist, noting how he used to bang his head against the classroom wall to gain attention. 'I didn't know it would be like this,' Mr Venables said with hindsight. He had been quiet that weekend, they said, but they had thought that was because his mother had taken him to the police station on the Friday evening for playing truant. It should certainly be moved up to 12; in some European countries it is 14," she said. 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. That was in September 1991, 17 months before they killed James Bulger. S. Susan venables. He has had more love and attention than a lot of children I know. yet, as Venables is back behind bars. "You look at him and you say to yourself, 'How could you be involved in anything like this?'" Susan Venables's bent body shrank deeper into itself. For his parents, the fact they were children was actually a cause for hope at that point. His parents say he is 'broken-hearted'. "I think about little James and what he must have gone through, how they must feel. They deal with drugs, they deal with everything. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. They deal with drugs, they deal with everything. The couple was financially strained from the start, but Ann did what she could to make it work. Kids fantasise about such things. Wiping away tears, he went on: 'I feel for that family. We still think the same of him as we always have. On the days he was at school he had a knack for stirring things up. We are proud to endorse the COP27 Leather Manifesto. The reaction prompted James' mum Denise Fergus to let supporters know she had nothing to do with the programme. At Radio City in Liverpool the calls were coming through from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Just seeing the size of them that first time, the childish figures they naturally were, caught my breath. "The report of the Prison Service into an incident at Red Bank secure unit has not been published. He believes these were evil boys. Facebook gives people the power. What happened to James Bulger? The documentary last night featured interviews with those involved in the 1993 trial, including James dad Ralph Bulger, Jon Venables solicitor Laurence Lee and detective sergeant Phil Roberts, who interviewed Robert Thompson. gl. More often, he would pinch them from local shops. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James' injuries. Another time they were saucy and asked a sales girl if she stocked 'fishy nickers'. So much happened whilst I was there involving Jon. The atmosphere in the courtroom was oppressive as the tension of a month was about to break. Other parents came in to complain about attention seeking. Mr Venables ran out of the car and grabbed him, while Robert ran off down the street laughing and shouting: 'You can't catch me.'. A heartstopping moment came when the playing of the tapes in court was paused. He has had security with loving parents and a loving brother and sister.". They knew what they were doing," another wrote. It was their sons picked up by detectives. Recently, I dug out my old notebooks of the trial and my handwriting during the verdicts says it all. As a result of the incident, Jon's mother decided to move him to another school. When Jon left home on the morning of Friday, February 12 he was happy because it was the last day of school before a week's holiday and he was going to take some pet gerbils home. The couples first child, a son, had been born with a cleft pallet, and when Jon was born, much of the Venables focus was on getting their eldest son into speech therapy. Murder of James Bulger. Forensic and pathology evidence was a huge challenge for everyone, not least the jury who were shown pictures of James injuries. Susan Venables, mother of Jon - referred to throughout the trial as Boy B - blamed her son's 'weakness' for the murder of James Bulger, . I have lost my son as well. Robert had eaten too many and felt sick. Jon's parents, who sat in court for most of the trial, said they grieved for the Bulgers. "Youngsters are usually tried in a youth court, [Thompson and Venables] were tried in an adult court. Not for long though. But Robert was stuck in Walton with his older brothers and the baby. 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 Christmas presents. Their kids have got everything, she added, bitterly. Truanting, or 'sagging off', had become a way of life for Robert. Are they mad? His parents, Susan and Neil, accompanied him during the interview process. ", Her husband, Neil, said: "If you had a league table of children, you would put him at the bottom of the list for anything like this.". He caused me such anxiety, the teacher later recalled of Jon in a statement given to the Merseyside police. It was when Jon turned seven that Susan and the children had relocated to Norris Green, one of Liverpools larger, more reputable areas. In the autumn term of 1992, Robert played truant for 49 half days and Jon for 40. Shortly after the breakup, an accidental fire destroyed the Thompsons home, leaving Ann homeless, jobless, and with little money to support her kids. Seeing at first hand the pain of a family who have lost a toddler to an act of brutal violence is almost unbearably moving. He is broken- hearted over it. He says 'I know, Mum'. Only two people can answer the question, and even their ability is doubtful. A maudlin ballad about Liverpool was playing in the back- ground and she was cooking the dish known as Scouse. He was pale in complexion and had watery brown, listless eyes. . 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. Superintendent Albert Kirby, who headed the investigation, doesn't believe in the under-belly of Liverpool nonsense or stuff about the disintegration of modern society, the collapse of the nineties cities. The haunting words of Jon Venables' parents only interview have resurfaced, twenty five years after he killed tot Jamie Bulger. Susan Venables, mother of Jon, blamed her son's "weakness" for the killing and said he was "fearful" and "provoked" by his accomplice Robert Thompson. Financially, the couple appeared to be functioning, but meanwhile, Susan was at the end of her rope with her eldest son, who, having become increasingly frustrated at his inability to communicate, had grown terribly unhappy and was having temper tantrums regularly. 'They were just your average scruff - like the rest of us.'. After a while he tried to commit suicide to get back in. Shame? After a while the 10-year-olds began to charge - a tenner an interview. "On the other hand, you are looking at him and you are saying 'Well, I know why - because he is so weak'. Sitting in the new class was a chubby boy with a cherub's face - Robert Thompson. The petition, that now has 14,682 signatures, reads: "We want a Public Inquiry into the James Bulger murder case. But that is the common lot of thousands of 10-year-olds who have not turned into murderers. When social workers came round, they did so to see his sister and his brother, who had learning difficulties and was receiving special education. Thompson, who gained five GCSEs and A-levels in design and technology, is said to have developed an interest in theatre. James smith (16 March 1990 [2] - 12 February 1993) was a two-year-old boy from Kirkby, Merseyside, England, who was abducted, tortured, and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson (born 23 August 1982) and Jon Venables (born 13 August 1982), on 12 February 1993. Not that he had any need to borrow his dad's. Both had a need to attract attention, which they achieved through a host of petty rebellions. Robert said 'If you tell anybody I'll get my big brother to batter you up'. The first Susan Venables knew they had stayed away from school was when she saw one of Jon's classmates on her way home with the gerbils. MOST of the boys were bright. Mrs Thompson claimed she had been the victim of revenge attacks after her identity became known. Asked later if he could recall a time when his brother had exhibited any unusually aggressive tendencies, Roberts brother said no: Hes frightened of his own shadow. Nonetheless, in hindsight, its safe to assume that by 1993, ten-year-old Robert was swiftly approaching crisis point., Alarmingly, some of the neighboring children later claimed to have seen Robert behave cruelly towards animals, and pull the heads off of baby pigeons, although this was never unequivocally confirmed.