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Original poster

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

999 replies

Hairgician · 05/02/2018 21:36

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??

OP posts:
Elendon · 07/02/2018 16:44

No Venables is an adult in his 30s now. He is beyond rehabilitation now. His sentence is not reflective on how many years he has left to spend in prison though as he was released on very strict terms.

I'm hopeful that he will remain in prison until such time that he is fit to rejoin the community in albeit a very restricted way.

Elendon · 07/02/2018 16:46

Now he shouldn't be treated differently to any other criminal

That's not going to happen.

Winteriscoming18 · 07/02/2018 16:46

Tbh if ANYONE had tortured and murdered my helpless child I would be doing time in prison. Reading the nature vs nurture debate I truly believe some people are just born evil regardless of age.

Elendon · 07/02/2018 16:51

What about your other children Wintersicoming18

FFS!

Woollypinksocks · 07/02/2018 16:54

I've no idea what should have happened at the time. The civilised human in me says they were children, possibly but damaged by their own environment, so deserved rehabilitation.

What I can't get my head round now is knowing that Jon Venables has been found with indecent images of children, twice, yet has been given a short sentence so will be back on the streets again soon.

The two crimes aren't completely disconnected, it's clear that he isn't safe to be on the streets, he isn't rehabilitated, he's obviously a very troubled individual, evil even perhaps? It's only a matter of time before he harms another child if he hasn't already. Then everyone will be saying 'lessons will be learnt'.

It must feel like a punch in a stomach for Denise Fergus and her family.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 07/02/2018 17:02

I'm hopeful that he will remain in prison until such time that he is fit to rejoin the community in albeit a very restricted way.

I'm not sure that's really worth the bother. It would be easier and cheaper and more effective to keep him in prison than supervise him in any meaningful way outside which would probably mean pretty much one to one monitoring.

I'd rather spend the money on rehabilitation for drug addicted offenders than yet another new life and identity for him. He's been given his chances and fucked up more than once.

In fact, I suspect when he comes out he may well have the attitude he'll be going away forever if he does anything again so he might as well go the whole hog and rape and kill a child.

NotASingleFuckToGive · 07/02/2018 17:03

Tbh if ANYONE had tortured and murdered my helpless child I would be doing time in prison

And yet neither Denise or Ralph Bulger have murdered the boys who killed their Son. That means you're even more upset than they are?

Competitive outrage is not helpful.

BigBaboonBum · 07/02/2018 17:06

This made me so angry. 10 years old is old enough to know what they were doing was pure evil. They should never be released.
They were disturbed, but I’m confused how being a disturbed child is different to being a disturbed adult... both need to be locked away from society. A sad waste of life, but a necessary one considering what they did

BigBaboonBum · 07/02/2018 17:10

And no, the comment about rehabilitation- rehabilitation is for drug addicts, hackers, thieves, etc... not for child killers! Fuck that off right away

ShatnersWig · 07/02/2018 17:12

So those who think these two boys should never have been released presumably want Mary Bell thrown back into jail and not worry about how that might affect her own daughter?

TheBrilliantMistake · 07/02/2018 17:18

If a 10 year old wanted to have sex, we would (rightly) explain that no matter how mature they believed they were, they were not of an age where they could make a rational decision about it. That us why we protect children because we know they do not have the capacity to think responsibly.
Two troubled 10 year olds can't now be accused of being the same as a troubled adult.
It seems that Thompson has gotten on with his life successfully, whilst Venables hasn't. Hardly proof that they were both disturbed beyond redemption.

NotASingleFuckToGive · 07/02/2018 17:18

I'm not sure that's really worth the bother. It would be easier and cheaper and more effective to keep him in prison than supervise him in any meaningful way outside

Which would be against the Human Rights Act.
Don't forget that both boys have already received financial compensation of around £30k due to their Human Rights being deemed to have been breached during the trial.

hungryhenryshouldeatelsewhere · 07/02/2018 17:22

@RoseWhiteTips it's not chilling at all. The sad reality is that this sick individual murdered and tortured a baby, and then went on to commit two more offences involving the abuse of children. For arguments sake let's forget the age of criminal responsibility and say he didn't know any better for his first crime, but he's had a new life and a chance to start over after his so-called "rehabilitation" and he's gone on to re-offend TWICE. There is no hope left for him, he is damaged beyond repair and presents a very real danger to society, and children in particular. Why should we continue to try and rehabilitate him? He's a lost cause.

TheBrilliantMistake · 07/02/2018 17:23

Bigbaboonbum, if a child aged 4 kills a child aged 2, would you lick the 4 year up forever?
How about 5, or 6?
What if it's a push over wall, or a single stab with a pair of scissors? What is your specific criteria for this?

Elendon · 07/02/2018 17:28

Don't forget that both boys have already received financial compensation of around £30k due to their Human Rights being deemed to have been breached during the trial.

And you know this how? Why spread lies. This isn't the Sun or the Mirror or the other poacher newspapers.

Why would you post such a thing? what is the purpose of doing this?

Rebeccaslicker · 07/02/2018 17:35

It was widely reported at the time, Elendon.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/567440.stm

Elendon · 07/02/2018 17:35

Venables has already severe restrictions on his life, should he be released from prison again.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8547652.stm

The above link outlines the conditions upon Venables release in 2001.

NotASingleFuckToGive · 07/02/2018 17:36

And you know this how? Why spread lies. This isn't the Sun or the Mirror or the other poacher newspapers.

I know this, because it is true and I studied the case for my dissertation. The European Court of Human Rights deemed that their trial wasn't fair, as the dock was raised, which to the Lawmakers' minds would give them a full view of the court, but in fact was deemed in retrospect to have 'put two ten year old boys on show'. The actions meant that they could not participate in their own trial to any meaningful effect, which contravened their Human Rights under the 1998 Act.
Thomson was awarded £15,000
Venables, £29,000.

Rebeccaslicker · 07/02/2018 17:36

No idea why one was awarded twice what the other was awarded though - you'd need to read the judgment for that. Maybe his lawyers cost more?

Elendon · 07/02/2018 17:37

Costs and expenses do not relate to compensation.

That would be a matter with the lawyers.

Woollypinksocks · 07/02/2018 17:40

It's a bit of a joke to say his life was/will be heavily restricted.

He's been looking at hundreds of images of children, so he was hardly monitored that closely.

These are only the crimes he was caught for.

NotASingleFuckToGive · 07/02/2018 17:40

Thanks Rebecca.

Please don't jump straight to calling people liars Elendon when these facts are easily obtainable.

Lizzie48 · 07/02/2018 17:42

I do remember that they were awarded compensation, it is true. I can well imagine that that would have been hard for James Bulger's family to hear. There's so much that was badly handled, but that's because it was such a unique case.

Rebeccaslicker · 07/02/2018 17:43

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babyccinoo · 07/02/2018 17:43

Tbh if ANYONE had tortured and murdered my helpless child I would be doing time in prison

And yet neither Denise or Ralph Bulger have murdered the boys who killed their Son. That means you're even more upset than they are?

Competitive outrage is not helpful.

Well said Notasinglefuckgiven. Denise was once told where to find Thompson and she did see him, but she did not kill him. Why should she ruin her life and the lives of children?

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