Do you think Robert Thompson is truly rehabilitated?

[Cheffymcchef]

As we all know, James Bulger was a two-year-old boy from the UK whose tragic abduction and murder in 1993 shocked the world. Taken from a shopping center by two ten-year-old boys, John Venables and Robert Thompson, his death became one of the most harrowing and widely known cases in modern British history. To this day, nearly everyone who hears his name knows the heartbreaking story and the profound impact it had on public consciousness and the justice system.
both boys were released after serving 8 years, when they turned eighteen. John Venables returned to prison twice for possessing CSAM. He is currently still in prison.
I personally think Venables is sick and can’t be “cured” of his attraction to kids. He will always reoffend imo, even if his devices etc are taken away. He needs to stay in prison. He’s also allegedly revealed his identity and needed several new identities costing the taxpayer even more. I know you get all this “stop it now” therapy- I just don’t think pedophiles can be cured. It’s like trying to do conversion therapy on a straight person.
I don’t know how I feel about Thompson- he committed a heinous murder, but did his time in custody. He’s never reoffended and now allegedly lives with a partner who knows who he is. Can’t remember if he has children. From studying this case, it always seems like he was deemed the ring leader, yet he is the one who has cleaned himself up and stayed out of trouble.
both boys allegedly came from abusive households.
I know poor James' mum will never get over his death. I cant imagine the mixed feelings she must have, she likely thinks it was wrong for either boy to be released so young.
I can’t say I’d be too thrilled about Thompson moving into my area if that’s the case, but truthfully I think if he’s done his time he needs to be left alone now to live his life . But that’s probably a wildly unpopular opinion- because James will never get to live his life.
what do you think?

posted in crime but moved here for traffic

Ohhh I see….so the trouble maker here has been trolling in other threads too

interesting

Honestly don’t not wish to derail this thread but some of your points are ridiculous. At no point would we ever tell a child they wouldn’t get help due to someone only 4 years older than them raping them. Load of shit. All children receive help as and when required. Trauma does stay with you for life however it is often a vicious circle and it’s important to show children that there is a way out.
Sadly you believe they were destined for the bin without the intervention when in most cases that is not true. Honestly what the hell is this? I don’t think any child whatsoever is destined for the bin what a disgusting comment. What I do see are children who live in disgusting conditions and don’t know any better. We are here to help support them in getting an education to hopefully not end up in the same circumstances as an adult which happens all too often.
When there are children who are already offending I don’t see any issue with them meeting people who have managed to turn their life around. Yes you may find yourself in this situation but it doesn’t always have to be like this.
I agree that not ALL children with childhood trauma display this in their behaviour, however those I work with do and that is why I work with them.

Thankyou. I think they are just trying to stir up drama. Different true crime cases are something people do talk about and as you say people study it too. I had to do a lot of work on this particular case when I was at secondary school in RMS. I think some people are projecting when they say they find it abnormal.

Anyone is welcome to view my posting history to see I am not a troll. I have previously only posted for help on a medical matter and nothing else. This is my 2nd ever time of posting. I’m not sure why the OP is accusing me of something that anyone can see isn’t true.

Anyway life is short and I can see I am in the minority with my views here so you’ll be glad to know I will bow out and leave you to the discussion,

All the best

Thompson is out there living his life l hope every day he looks in the mirror and feels guilt shame at the very least. l can’t imagine being the mother of a child who done this crime. His actions that day had more than one victim, The man who found young James died having had tormented life, how could you recover from this vision as a teenager, l bet he wasn’t offered counselling. I can’t imagine how the conversation went with his partner.

l do wonder if Venables reveals who he is to be punished, maybe he doesn’t feel he has been punished enough. I wonder given the opportunity would they say sorry to James parents, face to face.

l grew up in Kirkby and when l see threads about this it always takes me right back to my living room watching the news

He was seen as the ring leader because his parents didn't come with him to court and he was full of fake bravado. Venables went to court with his parents and cried throughout. I always wondered what the exact situation was between them. It was such a terrible terrible crime and it would be good to think at least one of them came out of it a better person.

Shocking his parents never bothered coming to court. Didn’t know that.

I would expect that (whether people think they deserve it or not) both men were offered counselling during their stay in STC and on release.

Sorry I totally misread this. I’d assume anyone who witnessed the crime (the man, and all the people
who stopped the boys/the boys lied to about James) were offered help.

I heard the boy who came across James’ body grew up to have drug issues etc as he was only a lad himself at the time.

His dad wrote a book too, and there’s a part that goes into detail about who identified James (I’m sure it was one of the parents brother that volunteered to go) and what they saw. Obviously I won’t post that here, but I can see how that would truly scramble someone’s head forever.

The number of peoples lives who’ve been impacted so badly by this is probably very high.

EDIT: The one who found him died in police custody in 2023 with 40-odd convictions to his name.

So a paychopath, who has shown they also have violent tendencies, and therefore should not be released into society.

I am a recovering addict myself, and from the PTSD that poor man must have I honestly don’t blame him for turning to drugs. I hope he did get the help he needed.

I don’t know of his convictions but perhaps he just struggled to get his life together after witnessing poor James.

Bear in mind he was a child when he said this.

I didn't say you do that but it has and does still happen as that is not an ACE. Nope not all children do receive help as and when required. Sad that help is offered to those displaying stereotypical behaviour thought and sad that it is the case and those who do not are ignored. Proving the point.

There is a way out of what? A way out of being successful in life as that is where most are headed? A way out of school work as most get on with their work no issue. A way out of what exactly?

So kids who live in appalling conditions and they get an education (as most will do anyway) what is the education help they are getting that they didn't get before?

Oh I agree but why paint the picture that trauma causes offending when in the majority it doesn't. Most offenders have no abuse etc in their past. Why not show them as being this is what most kids without your situation end up as, you are likely going to be different as you have trauma and this is not usually the case for kids with trauma.

So you only help the kids who display behaviour issues and ignore most as most do not display that. Point proven I think about how ACEs is all about stereoptypes and harmful ones at that.

Why do you not help kids who do not display stereotypical behaviours as they need help or do you just think only those who show behaviours in this way deserve it? Also what about those who are violent with no ACEs as most kids who are violent do not have ACEs - what do you do for them?

OK. I didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying.

Why did the ‘secure children’s home’ break confidence and speak about him? All staff will have signed and be aware of disclosures…..so I’m not sure I believe that

His family say that he went into drugs soon after the discovery. I’ve never had an issue with drugs myself but I can see why you’d do anything to block out any visions like that.

Really? You genuinely believe that they couldn’t figure out that throwing bricks and stones at a terrified little boy, throwing paint in his eyes, putting batteries in his mouth, stamping on him and smashing the toddler over the head with a 10kg object then leaving his body to be cut in half by a train was “really, really bad”?

If that’s the case then neither of them should ever have been released at all.

It is an insult to all of the survivors of abuse to pretend that being the victim of abuse makes you a danger to others and unable to recognise right from wrong when we’re talking about such extreme and depraved cruelty, even as a child. It doesn’t.

These children were vicious psychopaths and one of them has become a paedophile as an adult. Neither of these things can be cured, both are innate and unchangeable.

@Kibble19 yes that’s true he did, but l imagine as a young boy this was how he dealt with it, people turn to drugs for less.

Agree.

These apologists behaving like those two bastards stole a packet of sweeties or pushed someone over at school.

There was nothing wrong with their understanding. They knew what they wanted to do and made several attempts at it, then lied like fuck until they were cornered with no way out. I mentioned earlier that this horrendous event took place over several hours in different locations where either of them could’ve stopped it.

All this “but his daddy hit him, their frontal lobe hadn’t developed yet, their brother beat them up…”. It’s all bullshit. Evil little bastards, nothing more or less. Hearing them described as “victims too” makes me fucking sick.

I hope each of their existences are torturous in whatever way the universe sees fit. And when they finally shuffle off this planet, I hope there’s an eternity of pain awaiting them.

100%. Imagine seeing those images, you’d do anything to block that out.

Completely agree. They didn't choose their best mate to do it to, their mums, their school teacher etc. They chose someone on purpose. They knew exactly what they were doing. It was a choice they made knowing the outcome that would happen.

Sadly excuses are like arseholes. Everyone has one and they are usually full of shit.

True! The little runts didn’t go for someone the same age as them, someone who could say no or physically push them away.

They lied to umpteen people who tried to help when they walked James to his death. He was their brother and they were going home, he was lost and they were taking him to the police station. Just lie after lie. A hundred chances to stop, to leave him on the pavement (where he’d more than likely been seen to by a passer by), to go into a shop, to tell a bus driver. Anything.

Despicable bastards. Nothing that could ever happen to them will ever be justice, because we don’t have what they deserve in the UK.

I find it strange the lie they told about taking him to a police station. Surely an adult wouldn’t let two young boys and a toddler go to the station on their own. Wouldn’t any adult insist on saying to the boys no I’ll take him