For more than three decades, Denise Fergus has lived with a grief no parent should ever endure — and a justice system that never truly lets her rest. Now, as the calendar edges toward the end of 2025, she finds herself bracing for yet another agonising chapter in a story that Britain has never been able to forget.
The murder of her two-year-old son, James Bulger, remains one of the darkest crimes in modern British history. And with one of his killers once again facing a parole review, the fragile sense of relief Denise fought so hard to reclaim is under threat.
A rare moment of relief — after 30 years of pain
In December 2023, Denise Fergus experienced something she had scarcely dared to hope for. When the Parole Board refused the release bid of Jon Venables, she described the ruling as “the best thing that has happened to me in 30 years.”.jpg)
It was not joy. It was relief — the brief lifting of a weight that had pressed on her chest since 1993.
“I have fought for justice for James all these years,” she said at the time. “For once, the system went our way.”
But that moment was never guaranteed to last.
A crime that still haunts the nation
On 12 February 1993, Britain watched in horror as CCTV images showed two 10-year-old boys leading toddler James away from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside. What followed — torture, extreme violence, and the deliberate abandonment of his body — shocked the world and forced the country to confront uncomfortable questions about evil, childhood, and justice.
Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted later that year, becoming the youngest convicted murderers of the modern era. Both were released in 2001 with new identities and lifelong anonymity — a decision that sparked fury and disbelief.
While Thompson has reportedly stayed out of trouble, Venables has not.
A pattern of failure and risk
Venables’ life since release has been marked by repeated returns to custody, including imprisonments in 2010 and 2017 for offences involving indecent images of children. Each recall deepened public concern — and reinforced the fears of the Bulger family.
In 2023, the Parole Board concluded Venables remained a danger, citing his long-standing sexual interest in children, lack of honesty, and inability to manage risk. For Denise Fergus, that assessment validated everything she had been saying for years.
Another review — and fear returns
Now, that sense of safety is wavering again.
In late 2025, Venables is due to face another parole review, part of the standard process for prisoners serving life sentences. Although no release is guaranteed, the very existence of another hearing has reopened old wounds.
“What’s changed?” Denise has asked repeatedly. “He has a lifelong record of reoffending.”
Sources suggest Venables may attempt to challenge aspects of his detention or push for release under strict conditions, possibly including yet another new identity. In the past, he has boycotted hearings and been described by insiders as manipulative and self-pitying — behaviour that only heightens concern.
“This is mental torture”
For Denise Fergus, these reviews are not administrative processes. They are emotional landmines.
Earlier this year, she described the latest review as “mental torture.” Through the James Bulger Memorial Trust, she continues to campaign tirelessly — launching a victims’ helpline in March 2025, on what would have been James’s 35th birthday.
She has made it clear she will submit strong victim impact statements and fight with everything she has to keep Venables behind bars.
“He should never be free,” she has said. “Public safety must come first.”
A system under scrutiny
The Bulger case has helped shape reforms in the justice system, from tighter parole rules to greater involvement for victims’ families. Ministers have repeatedly stressed that protecting the public — especially children — is paramount.
Yet for families like the Fergus family, reform does not equal closure.
James’s father, Ralph Bulger, has spoken of the “endless trauma” caused by repeated hearings. James’s brothers have said forgiveness is impossible. Across the country, public support remains firmly with the family, with campaigns and petitions calling for whole-life terms in cases of extreme violence against children.
A victory that still feels fragile
As 2025 draws to a close, the upcoming parole decision hangs heavily over Denise Fergus. Another refusal would reaffirm the 2023 ruling — a rare and precious affirmation that justice can still stand firm.
But the threat of change is never far away.
James Bulger’s story is no longer just about a single crime. It is about endurance, the limits of mercy, and a mother’s refusal to stop fighting — even after 30 years.
As Denise once said after the 2023 decision: “We could finally enjoy Christmas.”
This year, that hope is tempered by uncertainty — and by a nation watching, once again, to see whether justice will hold.