James Bulger's mother slams judge over "conspiracy"

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has condemned the reasons given by a judge for keeping secret the new identity of his killer Jon Venables.

Venables, one of two 10-year-olds who murdered James Bulger in 1993, was jailed for two years last week after admitting child pornography offences.

The Old Bailey heard claims from his counsel Mr Ed Fitzgerald QC that Venables was still receiving death threats because they are notorious for the murder of two-year-old James.

Both were jailed for life but released on licence in 2001 after spending seven years and three months in secure children's homes.

On release they were each given new identities and the media was banned from publishing anything that would identify them.

Mr Justice Michael Bean ruled that the anonymity should be continued and he has now issued the legal reasoning for his decision.

But James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus accused Mr Justice Bean was of "conspiring" with a criminal.

At her home in Merseyside, mother-of-three Denise,said: "This is the judge who gave him two years for making the most vile paedophile child abuse images.

"I sat in the Old Bailey and watched him sentence Venables and decide that he the press could not publish the actual name under which he committed the crime.

"It was an outrageous travesty of justice and you could tell he was more interested in helping a criminal than protecting his victims and the public.

"Mr Bean does not live in the real world. He heard that Venables had tried to cover-up his horrible crimes by destroying his computer hard drive.

"He heard that he only confessed to dealing with paedophiles in a chat-room, a month before he was sentenced, when the police found more files on his computer.

"The evidence was there on the computer. He was caught red-handed and yet Mr Bean gave him 12-months off his sentence as a 'credit' for pleading guilty.

"Venables could not have denied it, so Mr Bean should not have given him credit for reluctantly admitting what he had done."

Denise aims to campaign for a change in the law to prevent criminals who offend wile living under a false name from having their anonymity renewed.

Denise said: "We sat in court and heard the name that Venables goes by. I have been told anyone can pass on the name by word-of-mouth, but the newspapers cannot publish it. Its nonsense.

"Describing Venables as 'unpopular' is an understatement and it shows how out-of-touch Mr Bean really is.

"Right now he is back in jail on a life sentence and I hope the Parole Board decide to keep him locked-up for a very long time.

"It means that at long last he is getting some real punishment for killing my son James.

"But if he does come to be released Mr Bean is giving the green light for him to be given another new identity.

"That means the judge is conspiring with Venables to cover-up his criminal record.

"It will be on the judge's conscience when Venables hides behind his false identity to sexually abuse a child, or to kill someone.

"I shudder to think what might happen. The public have a right to know who he is an potential employers and friends have a right to know who they are dealing with."

Denise said he does not believe there is "compelling evidence" that Venables' life would be at risk if he is not given a false name.

She added: "If he is kept behind bars long enough people will feel that he has paid for his crimes and will leave him alone.

"There are all kinds of terrible criminals who live under their own names. There is no lynch mobs out there that will string-up Venables.

"People make all kinds of wild threats on the internet, but they never carry them out and have no intention of ever doing so.

"Venables should be made to face up to the reality of what he has done in the real world - not some protective bubble.

"He is a criminal - not on a witness protection programme.

"If he behaves himself in the future there is not a shred of real evidence that he would be in any danger of retribution."

Denise is seeking a meeting with Justice Secretary Ken Clarke in the bid to persuade him to introduce a new law to prevent no identities being handed to criminals who offend while on life licence.

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