Jon Venables may face public parole hearing as James Bulger’s mum leads new bid for son’s killer to ‘face up to crimes’

391286 02: FILE PHOTO: Jon Venables, 10 years of age, poses for a mugshot for British authorities February 20, 1993 in the United Kingdom. Both Venables and Robert Thompson were 10 years-old when they tortured and killed 2 year-old James Bulger in Bootle, England. The government announced the release of the young men, now the age of 18, despite a public outcry to keep them in jail, June 22, 2001. The boys will be given new identities which a judge has barred the British media from disclosing. (Photo Courtesy of BWP Media via Getty Images) Credit: PA CHILD killer Jon Venables’ parole hearing may be heard in public after James Bulger’s mother launched a fresh bid yesterday. The brute could finally be made to “face up” to his crimes after brave Denise Fergus made an application to attend the crunch hearing for their two-year-old’s killer. Denise Fergus has applied for the parole hearing to be held in public Credit: PA:Press Association/PA Images Venables, left, has been recalled to prison twice since being jailed indefinitely alongside Robert Thompson Credit: PA:Press Association We previously told how Venables, 43, was hell-bent on keeping any hearing private and had even hired lawyers to shamefully try and keep the public out. The thug was first released on licence in July 2001 but was recalled to prison in February 2010 after indecent images of children were found on his computer. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! He was recalled a second time for the same sick crime in 2017 and has remained in prison since, with parole specialists finding he is still a risk to children. The Parole Board yesterday confirmed: “The Parole Board has received an application from Denise and Stuart Fergus for the Parole Board hearing in the case of Jon Venables to be heard in public.” Read more about James Bulger A list of reasons for the application reveals the murdered tot’s mother and her husband, Stuart Fergus, say vile Venables must “face up to his offending by way of a public hearing”. Their application’s reasons state: “There is significant public interest in the case, and a public hearing could improve public understanding of the parole process. “They argue that the prisoner should have to face up to his offending by way of a public hearing, especially given that he has committed further serious offences as an adult. “Public scrutiny would help explain how risk is assessed and managed, supporting confidence in the parole system. Most read in The Sun “They consider the prisoner’s further convictions as an adult to be an exceptional feature of the case, adding to the public interest in how the parole review is conducted.” Denise and Stuart also said that “if this application were granted, they would finally feel listened to and they are prepared for the hearing to take place in public.” James’s builder dad, Ralph, 59, has previously told The Sun he would also want to be at a public hearing. Denise and Ralph divorced in 1995. The family were previously told the hearing will not take place until September at the earliest. Venables and fellow killer Robert Thompson abducted James from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle on February 12, 1993. They took him to a nearby railway line before torturing and murdering the young boy in one of the most notorious killings in British history. Both men were detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure in November 1993, the child equivalent of an indefinite prison sentence. Thompson was released in June 2001, aged 18, and is not thought to have re-offended since. Venables, who has a lifetime anonymity order, has previously tried to frustrate the parole process and is actively fighting his victim’s parents’ right to be there. Parole Board rules mean Venables, who has access to lawyers behind bars, has a week to lodge an objection to the application. In any public hearing, the killer would likely appear from behind a screen with voice distortion technology used to protect his identity. James’ father, Ralph, has previously pledged he would attend a public hearing Credit: WILLIAM GRIFFITHS – Commissioned by The Sun Venables and Thompson led their two-year-old victim to his death in a shopping centre in Bootle Credit: Getty Comment now