C4 now - the James Bulger case **Trigger Warning - Contains Info about the case** (Title edited by MNHQ)

[Hairgician]

Sat watching this now.

I do not accept the view that those 2 boys were treated unfairly. They murdered that poor little boy and they knew what they were doing and that it was wrong.

They should be rotting in jail. Aibu to say justice not served??

I don’t see how anyone can’t understand that for a ten year old to get to that place, they have been grossly failed by the adults around them and are in need of help and compassion

I got this far and I had to stop. Help and compassion for child torturers and murderers. Who were easily old enough to know such graphic premeditated torture of a toddler was wrong.

I am fucking OUT. Before I say something that will get me banned.

The murder of poor little James was also totally wrong

@TheInimitableMrsFanshawe what do you think should have happened to them then? I think everyone agrees that they have been failed by their parents. That still doesn't take away what they did.

Keeping in mind that despite the punishment they received one has gone on to commit further offences each time he has been released, what do you think the judge should have ordered?

Used to live close to the unit where Venables was 'rehabilitated'. It was damned before it was shut down. He had sex with someone who worker there.

He's been taught to lie and deceive through that fake identity, is it any wonder he went back to crime?

They were 10. Very troubled children. It's so depressing to still see adults talking about children in this way.

I agree.

Society, and the media in particular, have a need for ‘monsters’ which child killers fulfil.

The Bulger family will never be left in peace. The media will continue to cynically exploit their grief just as they did the bereaved parents of Brady and Hindley’s victims.

While they were young and may have been unable to understand their actions their crime had to be punished it wasn’t breaking windows. They got a second chance and that should have been more than enough. I don’t see how anyone can argue they shouldn’t be serving life.

I remember adults banging on the police van carrying the boys to and from court and screaming that they wanted to kill them.

If Peter Connelly had survived the horrendous abuse he received as a child and grown up to do something like Thompson and Venables did when he was 10, I wonder if people would be saying the same things about him? That he was evil and should have known right from wrong?

I don’t see how anyone can’t understand that for a ten year old to get to that place, they have been grossly failed by the adults around them and are in need of help and compassion.

This too.

And of course their crime had to be punished. They did need to be locked up until 18 as they were. But the trial was horrific.

I think you absolutely should "lock children up for life" who have a)killed another child and b) are likely to become dangerous adults who could put others in danger.

You dont go from killing an innocent child to being a respectable member of the community in a few years regardless or your age.

Would you honestly want someone capable of that living near you, in your community near your children? I wouldn't.

I understand that their upbringing had a huge impact on their behaviour and whilst that is awful it does not negate the fact that they're dangerous.

Of course they should have been tried as adults, it was legal to do so. YABU

It's an awful case to even think about. I remember feeling so sickened angry about it when it happened. After they were sentenced, and put away, I remember hearing a lawyer talking about it - and how wrong it was that they were tried in an adult court. I thought, nothing he can say could alter my viewpoint that these boys should be locked away for life - but he did. A bit. They were children - other than Mary Bell, it was pretty unprecedented.

Anyway, it turns out that one of the boys has been completely rehabilitated, re-entered normal life, is in a relationship, and just wants to live anonymously and quietly.

The other seems to have been re-admitted to prison for viewing images of child abuse online, reportedly boasted about who he is, been doxxed, and generally, not doing so well.

SO - seems it's not cut and dried. It must always be judged on a case by case basis.

But I can never forget that poor little boy who was murdered. I'm not sure any case has ever affected me as much.

If Peter Connelly had survived the horrendous abuse he received as a child and grown up to do something like Thompson and Venables did when he was 10, I wonder if people would be saying the same things about him? That he was evil and should have known right from wrong?

Excellent point.

you do know the criminal age of responsibility was espically lowered just for this case previously it was 12.

in Scotland it is 8 (one of the worlds youngest age of criminality why even bother having and age of criminal responsibilty a 5 year old knows its wrong to hit lets lock them up for assault when they hit another child they need to be treated like adults and punished accordingly).

I think lostmy has got it.

They didn’t deserve to be granted anonymity, unless they were willing to pay £1.5million of their own money. If I was poor James’ parents then nothing would ever be enough until I saw them hung, drawn, and quartered. But they were obviously very troubled children and I do wonder what their upbringing was like and whether none of this would have happened if they’d received help. I do find it somewhat interesting that one’s managed to live a normal live now, compared to the other who seems to be in and out of jail.

Jaygee that is a vile comparison and assumption to make.

I highly recommend watching this documentary to see an alternative way of how we can help and understand children who are at risk of harming. Devastatingly for all three boys in this case- the two perpetrators never got this kind of help.

www.channel4.com/programmes/kids-on-the-edge/on-demand/59713-002

It isn’t either ‘lock ‘em up to rot’ or let them out to be ordinary members of society with a clean slate.

They needed intensive, long term therapy and supervision. They needed rehabilitation to be a longterm, even lifelong process.

Just as the Bulger family need long term support, care and understanding instead of exploitation by the media.

I'm out. I'm sure it's easy to bang on about them being children who had hard lives when your own dc are safely tucked up in bed.

How those parents have lived everyday knowing their baby was tortured and murdered in such a brutal manner is incomprehensible. They have shown amazing strength and I'm sure they really want to read about how much sympathy people have for those creatures.

they shouldnt have got life (wel maybe venables as he clearly isnt remorseful) but i also dont agree with anonymity u do a crime face the consequences

Outstanding post from lostmyfuckingkeys.

I have seen teenagers who don't routinely wash, brush teeth and change their clothes. Because they have never been taught to. Growing up in extreme neglect with access to violence damaged these boys beyond most peoples comprehension. They didn't know right from wrong like we do.

I agree, my ds1 was only a few months old when this happened. it has been harrowing for James's mum and family. so so sad.
RIP little James.