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Venables back in prison
James Bulger killer Jon Venables is back in jail after breaching the terms of his release.
British child killer Jon Venables has joined a dating site. Source: Supplied
ALL child murders are horrific but the James Bulger case is one that seems to stick in the mind more than most.
Who can forget the CCTV image of Robert Thomson and Jon Venables leading the trusting two-year-old through a British shopping centre to his death, Venables clasping one tiny hand in his?
The image that haunted the world: Jon Venables, 10, holds toddler James Bulger’s hand as they follow Robert Thomson, 11, through The Strand shopping centre in Liverpool Source: Supplied
James Bulger’s battered body was found lying on train tracks two days after he disappeared from The Strand shopping mall Source: News Corp Australia
Almost as shocking as the toddler’s murder was the fact that those responsible were but children themselves. Thomson was 11 and Venables just 10, when they sadistically tortured and beat James to death, draping his broken body across train tracks afterwards.
The pair were found guilty of abduction and murder in 1993 and jailed.
Children killing children: police mugshot of Robert Thompson, aged 11 Source: News Corp Australia
Children killing children: Police mugshot of John Venables. Source: Supplied
In 2001, Venables was released, having served just eight years.
For his own protection, authorities gave him a new identity but freedom did not last.
In 2010, Venables was jailed for two years after being convicted of downloading and distributing child pornography. The images were at the violent end of the spectrum, including some portraying the apparent rape of children as young as eight. Throughout the whole sordid operation, he had posed as a single mother.
How British tabloid The Sun reacted to revelations Jon Venables had reoffended. Source: Supplied
Now Venables, 32, is back in the spotlight after a British newspaper discovered he had joined a dating website, scouting for potential girlfriends who had no inkling of his dark past.
According to The Sunday Mirror, women communicating with Venables through the site will be unaware of his past because of laws upholding the new identity he was given for his own protection.
Child protection experts feared the situation could turn into an opportunity for Venables to gain access to offspring of women he could potentially date, adding that members were able to swap video clips and chat via webcam — other avenues for possible abuse.
On his dating profile, he described himself as a “music fan who follows Everton and has a good sense of humour”, the Mirror reported.
Plotting: A grainy CCTV image of Venables and Thomson in the mall just before they snatched James. Source: Supplied
“The horrific nature of James’s murder should mean that his killers should remain under constant supervision and be unable to freely roam the internet. But this is not happening, child protection advocate Mark Williams-Thomas told the paper.
In 2007, it was revealed Venables had formed a Facebook relationship with a single mother called Sarah Finn. The pair discussed music, according to Ms Finn, who ended the correspondence after he expressed a desire to meet in person. She had no idea that her internet friend was a convicted child killer until she was contacted by a true crime enthusiast.
“It’s chilling to think our relationship could have gone further and I may possibly have introduced him to my son who was 10 — the same age he was when he killed James,” Ms Finn said at the time.
“I had moved to a new area and was looking for friendship and possibly love. He nearly became mine — and that terrified me.”