Murder of James Bulger

James Patrick Bulger (16 March 1990^[1] – 12 February 1993) was a 2-year-old boy from Kirkby, Merseyside, England, who was kidnapped, tortured and killed by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, on 12 February 1993.^[2][3]

Bulger was taken away from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside. His tortured body was found on a railway line 2.5 miles (4 km) away in Walton, Liverpool, Merseyside, two days after his abduction. Thompson and Venables were charged on 20 February 1993 with Bulger's abduction and murder.

They were found guilty on 24 November 1993, making them the youngest convicted murderers in modern British history. They were released in 2001.^[4] In November 2017, Venables was again sent to prison for having child abuse images on his computer.

The Bulger case created a debate on the issue of how to handle young serious crime offenders when they are sentenced or released from custody.^[5][6]

References

1. "The killers and the victims". CNN. 22 June 2001. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
2. "Thompson & Venables Recommendations as to Tariffs to the Secretary of State for Home Affairs". 26 October 2000. Archived from the original on 26 December 2005. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
3. Smith, David James (3 April 2011). "The Secret Life of a Killer" (PDF). The Sunday Times Magazine: 22–34. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2013.
4. "Bulger killers to be released on parole". The Independent. 22 June 2001. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
5. Firth, Paul (3 March 2010). "A question of release and redemption as Bulger killer goes back into custody". Yorkshire Post. Johnston Press. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
6. Anna-Louise Taylor (21 April 2011). "How should young killers be treated?". BBC. Archived from the original on 22 April 2011.