Jacinda Ardern says James Bulger’s killer should not ‘bother applying’ to move to New Zealand

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has issued a warning to James Bulger’s killer, Jon Venables, amid claims he could be expatriated to New Zealand to start a new life.

British officials are reportedly considering relocating the child killer because he is costing authorities too much money to protect. 

During a press conference on Monday, Ms Ardern swiftly shut down the possibility saying there was no chance Venables would be accepted into the country. 

‘I’m advised that Immigration New Zealand have not received anything official. Of course, because of his existing convictions, he would need an exemption,’ she said.  

‘My advice would be, don’t bother applying.’   

During a press conference on Monday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern swiftly shut down the possibility advising Jon Venables to not bother applying

Jon Venables, the killer of two-year-old James Bulger, is allegedly about to be sent abroad to start a new life and UK taxpayers will pick up the bill

Earlier this year it was revealed that legal battles to keep his identity secret had cost UK taxpayers £65,000. Pictured is James Bulger

Jon Venables, the killer of two-year-old James Bulger, is allegedly about to be sent abroad to start a new life and UK taxpayers will pick up the bill

Venables, who shocked the world after abducting and killing the two-year-old boy when he was just ten, was granted lifelong anonymity after he was found guilty of murder in 1993.

British officials have reportedly grown tired of constantly having to create new identities for the killer and have proposed sending him to Canada, New Zealand and Australia, according to reports. 

The Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on the case when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Canadian government for comment.    

The move has outraged Australians and Kiwis who believe the murderer should not have been released in the first place, let alone be admitted into another country with a new identity. 

‘No thanks, keep him in your country! Leave Australia out of the equation, deal with your own issues & let us deal with ours,’ one woman said in a Facebook comment. 

‘I thought they stopped sending convicts here 150 years ago,’ another person quipped. 

The news has outraged Australians who believe the murderer should not have been released in the first place, let alone be admitted into another country with a new identity

The news has outraged Australians who believe the murderer should not have been released in the first place, let alone be admitted into another country with a new identity

Many users questioned why the government would go through such lengths to protect a murderer

Many users questioned why the government would go through such lengths to protect a murderer

The idea was even criticised by a Brit who said Venables should remain in the country and live life without government protection.  

‘I really hope this isn’t true. He needs to stay [in the UK] and the authorities need to let us know his new identity and let us deal with him! How can they even begin to think this is an ok thing to do. Let him sun it up while that poor babies family are here suffering every day of their lives,’ the user said. 

‘Why the hell does he get to start life again under a new identity when that poor little boy didn’t get to live his. What is wrong with this society. Should be life for a life,’ another said.  

Venables, now aged 36, has been given numerous different identities since his conviction in 1993 but is continuously outed by outraged members of the public.

A source told the Daily Star: ‘Venables is costing a fortune.

‘The thinking is that it would be cheaper to get rid of him abroad, than keep forking out.’ 

Bulger was killed by Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged ten, on February 12, 1993, after the pair snatched him from his mother in a Liverpool shopping centre. 

Both murderers were granted lifelong anonymity once they were released from custody but Robert Thompson has never been heard of again

Both murderers were granted lifelong anonymity once they were released from custody but Robert Thompson has never been heard of again

The move is said to come as officials have grown tired of constantly having to create new identities for the child killer who was granted lifelong anonymity after he was found guilty of murder aged 10

The move is said to come as officials have grown tired of constantly having to create new identities for the child killer who was granted lifelong anonymity after he was found guilty of murder aged 10

Both murderers were granted lifelong anonymity once they were released from custody and Thompson has never been heard of again. 

Venables, on the other hand, has been jailed twice more after admitting to owning more than 1,000 ‘sickening’ child porn images as well as a paedophile manual. 

Earlier this year it was revealed that legal battles to keep his identity secret had cost UK taxpayers £65,000 (AU$119,450.50)

Venables’ lawyers were paid £8,100 (AU$14,885) in legal aid while government lawyers were paid close to £57,300 (AU$105,300)

James Bulger’s father, Ralph, 52, has said he will spend his life trying to overturn the ruling that his son’s killers may remain anonymous to ‘protect the public’.

However, High Court judges ruled against the bid because they believed it would endanger Venables’ life. 

At the time, President of the High Court’s Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane said: ‘(Venables) is ‘uniquely notorious’ and there is a strong possibility, if not a probability, that if his identity were known he would be pursued resulting in grave and possibly fatal consequences.

‘This is, therefore, a wholly exceptional case and the evidence in 2019 is more than sufficient to sustain the conclusion that there continues to be a real risk of very substantial harm to (Venables).’

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Cooke, national policing lead for protected persons has previously said that they will get relocated to various places in the UK and abroad. 

He said: ‘That doesn’t mean we are going to relocate them to the Copacabana, but they do get a say.’  

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk