James Bulger - sentencing

[Be creative]

I’ve just watched the documentary about James Bulger and was horrified to learn the monsters only got 7 years and 8 months in effectively a children’s home.

I know venables reoffended and ended up in prison eventually (only for 2 years which in itself is shocking) but I can’t get my head around the fact Thompson - and venables until he reoffended - is just out here somewhere with a whole new identity, new life, new opportunity to start again and some unknowing woman is possibly married and has kids with him and doesn’t know who she is really with. I don’t understand how 7 years was deemed “justice”.

 

[1001 others]

That poor little boy ... his story is one of the saddest I've ever heard.

Monsters! They really were (and are).

Peter Jackson made a movie ("Heavenly Creatures") about two girls who killed one of the girl's mother. After it was released, an investigative journalist found one of the women - both had been given new identities, much like James' killers - she turned out to be a famous novelist.

It seems so wrong that the perpetrators get to be allowed a new life, a new identity, no sense of shame for what they did ... yet their victims (direct and extended) suffer for life. Shameful.

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

I know venables reoffended and ended up in prison eventually (only for 2 years which in itself is shocking) but I can’t get my head around the fact Thompson - and venables until he reoffended - is just out here somewhere with a whole new identity, new life, new opportunity to start again and some unknowing woman is possibly married and has kids with him and doesn’t know who she is really with. I don’t understand how 7 years was deemed “justice”.

Robert Thompson, as far as recent news reports go, is gay and in a long term relationship with a partner who is aware of his identity. He has not re-offended since his release.

Reading between the lines of various newspaper reports, Jon Venables has compremised his identity on at least one occasion.

There's no suggestion that children are involved in either of their lives.

 

[Wifo1976]

I watched this last week and even though I remember a lot of it from the time l, it still shocked me that they were a) so young and b) the sentences were so ridiculously low. And reduced!!! I said this on another thread, Denise Fergus has maintained an amazing amount of dignity and courage bearing in mind what she has been through. I’m not sure I could’ve been that strong. She has to suffer a life sentence whilst they’re out living their lives - or not now in the case of Venables, but like Denise said, ‘I told you so’.

 

[Be creative]

Robert Thompson, as far as recent news reports go, is gay and in a long term relationship with a partner who is aware of his identity. He has not re-offended since his release.

Reading between the lines of various newspaper reports, Jon Venables has compremised his identity on at least one occasion.

There's no suggestion that children are involved in either of their lives.

That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that Thompson was gay. Regardless, it does still pose the question, for me anyway, why they are allowed to live their life under a new name with the option never to share the truly horrific thing they did. In this instance children may not be involved, but that’s not to say it couldn’t have happened. If he had not been gay, he may very well have married and had children. Or he may also have lived single for his life. If what’s buts and maybes, but I still don’t see how that is ok. I know they were young, but they knew right from wrong, and actively chose wrong, yet seem to have had little punishment and now have a clean free existence. I just don’t see the justice in it

That poor little boy ... his story is one of the saddest I've ever heard.

Monsters! They really were (and are).

Peter Jackson made a movie ("Heavenly Creatures") about two girls who killed one of the girl's mother. After it was released, an investigative journalist found one of the women - both had been given new identities, much like James' killers - she turned out to be a famous novelist.

It seems so wrong that the perpetrators get to be allowed a new life, a new identity, no sense of shame for what they did ... yet their victims (direct and extended) suffer for life. Shameful.

I’m intrigued about this movie now!
I agree, the fact the victims family and friends seem to suffer instead of the perpetrators. It just baffles my head, and I can’t help but feel it’s a total injustice to the victim, their friends and family and actually the public as well.

 

[1001 others]

...
I’m intrigued about this movie now!
I agree, the fact the victims family and friends seem to suffer instead of the perpetrators. It just baffles my head, and I can’t help but feel it’s a total injustice to the victim, their friends and family and actually the public as well.

You have to watch it - it's great! It stars a very young Kate Winslet.

 

[Ceelea]

Pair of sadistic arseholes. I won't be shocked if they kill again.

 

[Sunflowerrose]

I’ve just watched the documentary about James Bulger and was horrified to learn the monsters only got 7 years and 8 months in effectively a children’s home.

I know venables reoffended and ended up in prison eventually (only for 2 years which in itself is shocking) but I can’t get my head around the fact Thompson - and venables until he reoffended - is just out here somewhere with a whole new identity, new life, new opportunity to start again and some unknowing woman is possibly married and has kids with him and doesn’t know who she is really with. I don’t understand how 7 years was deemed “justice”.

Do you have the name of the documentary please? I'd like to watch it. Thanks!

 

[Purrrrrrr]

This isn't going to be popular but...
The judge should never have released their names, I still have no idea why he did and it's not the norm to do so. Other children have killed before and since and not been named and they have served their sentence and out and no one is the wiser.

Jamie's poor mum is being tortured by media who contact her anytime her son's killers are mentioned or make any move, If they were not named this would not happen and she could maybe find some peace.

Venables has reoffended a couple of times (indecent child images) and to be honest I think he should be locked up for life now.

Thompson has never been in trouble since and like Mary Bell he should be left alone.
Children who kill children are more hated than adults who kill children. I have never understood that.

 

[Wifo1976]

I think Venables is still in prison? I’m sure it said he reoffends in 2017 and was denied parole 2 years later. Good.

 

[Purrrrrrr]

I think Venables is still in prison? I’m sure it said he reoffends in 2017 and was denied parole 2 years later. Good.

Yes. denied in Sept 2020 told he will be inside for at least another 2 years

 

[Keelz11]

I don’t believe they are evil children I think something seriously went wrong in their lives for them to do something so awful.

 

[Belle Amie]

Yes. denied in Sept 2020 told he will be inside for at least another 2 years

This is crazy to me, I honestly think it should’ve been a one more chance situation. He’s messed up multiple times now he should never be released again, he’s a danger to society.
Fair play to Robert Thompson for not breaching his license, I think the home he was sent to really played a part in his rehabilitation.
My mum believes he got a job at her old workplace a few years ago, due to his back story not quite making sense. Whoever this person was said they went to a local school not knowing their were lads in the job who actually had gone to the school who had no recollection of this person.
This is all speculation and no one will ever know if it was actually Thompson or not.

 

[Purrrrrrr]

This is crazy to me, I honestly think it should’ve been a one more chance situation. He’s messed up multiple times now he should never be released again, he’s a danger to society.
Fair play to Robert Thompson for not breaching his license, I think the home he was sent to really played a part in his rehabilitation.
My mum believes he got a job at her old workplace a few years ago, due to his back story not quite making sense. Whoever this person was said they went to a local school not knowing their were lads in the job who actually had gone to the school who had no recollection of this person.
This is all speculation and no one will ever know if it was actually Thompson or not.

You are right, Thompson was not allowed to hide his identity when he was in the home, so had to deal with it being known who he was right from the off. Venables had a new identity right away and so has always had to hide who he was.

 

[Raininvain]

You are right, Thompson was not allowed to hide his identity when he was in the home, so had to deal with it being known who he was right from the off. Venables had a new identity right away and so has always had to hide who he was.

No I don't think that's right, both were given new identities just on their release I thought. The thing is if they kept them locked up for 20-30 years then they wouldn't have been able to rehabilitate them when they got out, because that's all they ever knew from childhood, institutional care.
Also it was Robert Thompson that was the ringleader not Venables who has struggled to handle much more what he did. Thompson has always just not wanted to know/minimized it. Also the people who worked with him said he was totally manipulative.

 

[klakstrom]

That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that Thompson was gay. Regardless, it does still pose the question, for me anyway, why they are allowed to live their life under a new name with the option never to share the truly horrific thing they did. In this instance children may not be involved, but that’s not to say it couldn’t have happened. If he had not been gay, he may very well have married and had children. Or he may also have lived single for his life. If what’s buts and maybes, but I still don’t see how that is ok. I know they were young, but they knew right from wrong, and actively chose wrong, yet seem to have had little punishment and now have a clean free existence. I just don’t see the justice in it
.

Because they were so young. If they’d been left in prison for longer they would have definitely reoffended when they were released, both of them. They had to let them out because, in my opinion, they didn’t exactly know what they were doing - they were kids. That doesn’t make it right, of course, but the mere action of trying to put batteries inside him makes me think that they thought he was a broken toy and they were trying to make him work again. They didn’t get it.

 

[GiftedNotFree]

Because they were so young. If they’d been left in prison for longer they would have definitely reoffended when they were released, both of them. They had to let them out because, in my opinion, they didn’t exactly know what they were doing - they were kids. That doesn’t make it right, of course, but the mere action of trying to put batteries inside him makes me think that they thought he was a broken toy and they were trying to make him work again. They didn’t get it.

Agreed. And that murder is only really clearly ingrained in people’s conscious because of the media storm around it and the publication of their identities. If they had been left nameless, the crime would most likely have faded into the background of all the other heinous crimes that happen.

10 years old is too young to be tried in an adult court. As an ‘adult’, you’re required to direct your counsel in a court proceeding. There’s no way those kids could do that.

Their actions on the day James was killed were truly abhorrent. Horrible, vile and almost unbelievable. Until you understand their back stories and that them coming together and was a volatile mix.

 

[Lulu Goss]

I read this morning that Venables has been back to prison a few times now for breaching his license and for possessing child abuse images. Apparently he has also revealed his identity to a friend on two separate occasions. It makes me angry that he just gets given a new identity and a new chance to start again every time. At this point he should be either kept in prison or not given a new identity.

 

[Begborrowsteal]

The idea of child killers being hated more - I guess its because kids are meant to be innocent and not capable of such horrific things. Trauma shapes young (and older) minds but I do think some people, regardless of age, have something wrong in their make up. Its seen enough in studies around the brains of criminals. Theyre almost destined to be destructive and harmful.

I cant actually think about this case too much because its so horrific.

 

[coconochanel]

No I don't think that's right, both were given new identities just on their release I thought. The thing is if they kept them locked up for 20-30 years then they wouldn't have been able to rehabilitate them when they got out, because that's all they ever knew from childhood, institutional care.
Also it was Robert Thompson that was the ringleader not Venables who has struggled to handle much more what he did. Thompson has always just not wanted to know/minimized it. Also the people who worked with him said he was totally manipulative.

I thought it was Venables that was the ring leader? Was it Robert who dealt the final blow to James?