James Bulger’s father (above) has slammed the decision to grant his son’s killer legal aid for a string of court cases, calling it ‘a disgrace’
James Bulger’s father has slammed the decision to grant his son’s killer legal aid for a string of court cases, calling it ‘a disgrace’.
Jon Venables and Robert Thompson tortured and murdered the two-year-old in 1993 when they were ten years old after abducting him from a Liverpool shopping centre.
In 2010 Venables pleaded guilty to downloading and distributing child pornography and was jailed for two years.
He is currently serving 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to having more than 1,000 indecent images of children at a trial at the Old Bailey earlier this month.
Now James’ father Ralph Bulger has spoken out after it transpired Venables had received £259,585 to pay for civil claims, judicial reviews and applications for new identities.
The figure does not include his original trial or most recent charge, so could be much higher.
The killer first received almost £180,000 in state cash to challenge his 15-year sentence for murder, a Freedom of Information request revealed.
Several new identities each cost £250,000 to set up and two judicial reviews cost more than £22,000.
Ralph said his own application for legal aid was blocked when he tried to fund an appeal against a decision that Venables and Thompson were eligible for parole.
The pair had served eight years for the toddler’s murder.
‘It’s a disgrace to pay this to Venables from the public purse,’ he said.
‘He is a sexual predator and child killer who got all this money and yet I have consistently been denied legal aid over the years trying to keep him locked up and away from the public.
Jon Venables (left) and Robert Thompson (right) were just 10 years old when they murdered two-year-old James
‘I have always said that the killers have been treated better than us and this proves my point beyond any doubt.
‘It’s a real insult to James’ memory to continue to protect his killer in this way.
‘I don’t argue with the right for justice but in our case it has been a one-way street.
‘All this legal aid for Venables and nothing for us. It’s just a joke but it’s sickening for me and my family.
Jamie Bulger, pictured, was killed 25 years ago next week. The tale of two 10-year-olds killing the two-year-old shocked the nation
‘But it comes as no surprise. We have been treated as though we didn’t count from day one. The system is messed up and needs to change.’
Earlier this month James’ mother Denise Fergus revealed she had only just learned the extent of her son’s sexual injuries as the 25th anniversary of his death loomed.
She demanded an inquiry into what was known by authorities when her son’s killers were released in 2001, claiming the parole board did not know all the facts before releasing the pair.
Ms Fergus’ calls were twice rejected by the Government, despite a petition signed by more than 190,000 people.
‘I have always said I didn’t want to know the full details of about the sexual abuse on my son and only found out the true extent of what they did this week,’ she said.
‘After I had learned this week, via social media, that the Government had turned down out request for a public inquiry I felt backed into a corner so I asked the relevant people to tell me everything because I need to know now, which was totally heart breaking.
‘Releasing Venables was massive mistake. Both of them should have served time in an adult prison.’