Child killer Jon Venables is reportedly “terrified” of spending the rest of his life behind bars as new and tougher laws on repeat criminals are being considered.
40-year-old Venables and 39-year-old Robert Thompson were jailed for less than a decade after kidnapping, torturing, and killing 2-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool, England, back in 1993 when they were just ten years old.
In 2001, both Thompson and Venables were released on license for life. Since his newfound freedom, however, Venables had two more stints in jail in 2010 and 2017 after he was proven guilty of possession of indecent images of children.
According to the reports, the child killer is currently awaiting parole but remains fearful because his hearing was delayed several times while the authorities are considering tougher laws.
As per the Victims and Prisoners Bill, public safety will be prioritized and above the rights of inmates when it comes to considering the release of repeat offenders such as Venables.
“The family [of James] are thrilled by Venables’ fading freedom hopes. They know his planned parole hearing has been put back,” a source told The Sun.
“If it’s shunted back again, the Victims and Prisoners Bill could go through parliament, meaning it would affect him.”
This comes shortly after James’ mother, Denise Fergus, met with Justice Secretary Alex Chalk to voice her concerns about Venables’ potential freedom.
She previously also met with the former justice secretary, Dominic Raab, who allegedly promised her that the new bill will ensure Venables would not see the light of day again.
“In that meeting I was hearing words I’d always wanted to hear. His lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear it all because I never believed I would hear those words,” Fergus told The Mirror at the time.
“The words that under his plans, Venables would never walk free again. I didn’t think this day would ever come. I froze.”
Insisting that his brother’s killer is kept behind bars for like was also 29-year-old Michael Fergus who said he would never forgive Venables and Thompson for destroying his childhood.
“My brother’s killers will never be forgiven. They took away my older brother who I never got to meet. They robbed me of my childhood, in a nutshell,” he said in an interview with Sunday Express.
“I try not to give his killers any time in my thoughts, but I still hate them for what they did. It’s disgusting the way they have been treated.”
Meanwhile, Venables is said to be living in fear of the proposed law changes that could see him spend the rest of his life in prison due to his repeat offenses.
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