James Bulger killer Jon Venables ‘still a great danger’ and should not be released from prison, says toddler’s mother

Denise Fergus was speaking ahead of the 20th anniversary of her son’s death.

Venables and Robert Thompson and were 10 years old when they were found guilty of his murder.

They were jailed for life but released on licence with new identities in 2001.

Venables’ parole was revoked and he was sent back to prison in 2010 for child pornography offences. But now he has made a fresh plea for freedom.

Mrs Fergus told ITV’s Daybreak that she thinks it is far too soon for him to be released.

“I think it’s disgusting,” she said. “I think it’s far too early for him to come out at this moment in time. He’s just not getting punished for the crimes that he’s committing. I still believe he’s a great danger to be on the outside and I still do believe that he should spend a lot more time on the inside.”

Asked whether she thought Venables should be released as he had already spent his childhood in prison, Mrs Fergus said: “He didn’t spend most of his childhood in prison - he only did eight years. At the end of the day he took James’ life. James never even reached his third birthday.

“He (Venables) never spent most of his childhood time in prison at all, he never even did time in prison. He went to a young offenders’ where he was totally looked after, given the best care of everything. He was given everything he asked for so, you know, in my eyes he got a better education, a better lifestyle than he had before he went in.”

Speaking about the approaching 20th anniversary of James’s death, she said: “It’s really hard because I’m trying to get on with my life now with my three boys and my husband, Stuart. Every time I seem to pick myself up, something comes up and it takes me back down again, but I’ve always said I’ll fight for justice for James and that’s exactly what I’ll do. I am his mum and I am still here for him and I’ll do whatever it takes and I’ll just keep on fighting.”