One of James Bulger’s killers to remain in prison

Child killer Jon Venables will remain behind bars after he told a Parole Board panel that he should stay in prison.

Venables tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993 after he and Robert Thompson, both then aged 10, snatched him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside.

Venables told parole staff dealing with his latest review, which took place in private, that he was not seeking release.

A summary of the panel’s findings said: “At the outset of the hearing, Mr Venables submitted an opening statement to the effect that he accepted the need to undertake further offending work in custody and so was not seeking release.”

The panel considered evidence from probation officers based in the prison and in the community, three psychologists and a psychiatrist.

All bar one concluded that he should remain in prison.