Jamie Bulgers Murderers have new indentities...

Question

Is this justice system a reflection of a World gone mad. Where born Psycophantic killers get freedom. Is this right. It is amazing how the public forgets these discusting crimes.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, aged 18 in 2001 had spent eight years in secure accommodation for the murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993.

They had been freed on life licences. Both were given a new identity, including a name, passport and National Insurance number. A High Court injunction protects their new identities.

It is believed that Thompson, who lives at a secret location in North West England, has settled back well into the community and is NOT considered a risk to the public. Sources close to him say he is now in a settled relationship with another man. And Jon Venables is a Policeman in Australia!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1402527.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1394595.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article396629.ece

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/15year-sentence-for-wouldbe-killer.1493266.jp

Answer 1

Justice in these circumstances can never ever be done. little Jamie will never be brought back and those who killed him were themselves children which I'm not sure if it does or does not make it more terrible.  

I suspect that this question is not from a disintersted stranger but from eleswhere and will crop up again and again.

Both of these young men are aware that their punishment is for the rest of their lives, they must be in constant fear of someone finding out and meeting out to them the " righteous justice" of the mob,. Or being picked up for say a speeding offence and sent back to prison.

If you think they have got off lightly try living their lives now.

I think you would be better picking up on other possibilities on early release not the easy one you cite here. I might then have a little more patience with this question          

Answer 2

I still think they should sentence them now they are adults.  Same as if they didn't catch them till now.

Answer 3

Murder itself is shocking but in many cases we can see the method of madness that led to it. For example an anguished relationship or a terrible temper. Fear or vindictivenes or many of the other reasons. In the James Bulger case, it was quite shocking not only because they were kids but also because they seemed to do it for fun.

It created a complete blank in my mind as to where to begin to understand it. However, at the same time we do have to understand that they were kids with no real concept of death. It is really hard to know what is right and what is wrong in this case, but one thing is for sure they can't be locked up forever. And as they were 10 year olds I think the authorities have acted appropriately.

It is undoubtably shocking, but did these kids recognise it as anything other than a devious prank? The authorities would have got into the minds of these kids and would have made decisions on their future in the most suitable fashion.

I never liked to think about it back then and still have difficulty getting my head around it now.

Answer 4

I think now they are adults they both should be jailed as adults and do hart time as any other murderer does , starting the day they came of age , cos the time they did was like a holiday camp . There's no punishment in that .

Never should they be allowed to join the human race cos there nothing more than insane animals , no sorry , i wont insult animals that way.

There's no word to describe the evil those two did to little Jamie.So there's no punishment harsh enough for them .

Let the baby's parents decide the punishment now there adults i say!

Answer 5

Just a shame jamie did not get a chance to grow up ,have a settled relationship and a job.look what they took from him " a life" shame they were allowed one.

Answer 6

I agree with you to a certain extent what they did even for children was incomprehensible as we have all been children and I would never have thought at that age to comit such a crime and I'm sure you wouldn't but the way this has been handled seems to have been the correct way, also we have to bear in mind this was not a regular occurrence  and this country didn't know what to do for the best and how to deal with these boys appropriately that would meet the approval of all, So the fact that positive is now been reported speaks for it's self.

Answer 7

I'm with Jude on this one.

It was a terrible crime and I cry whenever I think of that beautiful trusting little boy who had his life snuffed out.....but.........the boys who did it were children themselves.  It does not make it any better but they lived their life according to the examples they were set.  they knew no better.  they have been punished and pardoned and hopefully rehabilitated.  My best hope for them is for them to have children of their own and when that child is two, maybe then they will realise of the enormity of what they did.  they will have to live with that knowledge for the rest of their lives.

Answer 8

Nice to know that these evil scumbags have been given a chance to enjoy the life which they so cruelly and callously took away from little James.

They should have been locked up for life or executed for what they did.

So its alright now, is it?  An innocent little toddler was cruelly and viciously murdered and now the murderers have served their pitiful sentence in a Butlins-style detention centre, they can be free to enjoy life?  James obviously doesn't matter I take it?  Or the agony his family was put through.

We will never forget or forgive.  They will receive their punishment, in this world or the next.  

I'm sorry to tell those who are "glad they have become decent citizens" blah blah that karma will never forget.  They WILL be punished for what they did, maybe not by the pathetic law system in this country but by God/Fate/or whatever other force in the universe is in charge of these things.  And their punishment will be brutal.  And nasty.

I hope they never have their own children.  They do not deserve to after they took an innocent little life from this world so evilly.

I also wonder how the people who say "oooh I'm soo glad they've become such nice decent young men so now we can forget about little James" blah blah would feel if it was THEIR 3 year old son who had been abducted, raped and murdered.  Slightly differently, methinks.

Personally I hope someone finds out who they are and gives them a REAL taste of justice.

Answer 9

  there is no way one of them would be allowed into a police force, and i doubt that the other would be anywhere near the north west of england. a lot of people up there have not forgotten and have a rough idea what they look like. i would not be suprised though, and am disgusted by the amount of help these little freaks recieved, they should have been released from prison and left to face the consequences not given thousands in taxpayers money to start a new life. where is the new life for little james, or his mother and father. you have angried up my blood for the day now.

Answer 10

This is old news - not forgotten, but best not dwelt on.  These young men have served their sentence and now they are free to get on with their lives.  They only have new identities to protect them from vigilantes as they received many death threats just prior to their release from prison.  I for one am glad they are making something of their lives.  Nothing can bring James back, but at least it seems that these young men have turned around and become decent citizens.

It all depends on how you view human nature; do you believe people can change and turn their lives around or do you believe their personality is set and unchanging?  I personally believe it is possible for people to change, to 'repent' as it were and find a better way to live.

Answer 11

er, its so the public dont act as vigilantes. at least one is in australia, so why do you care?

Answer 12

I care that our society has given freedom to two murderers, because that is what they are no matter what names they now have.  Its just a shame that poor Jamie didnt have the chance to grow up and have his own identity.

Why the thumbs down, I think what I said is true

Answer 13

i never had sick ideas of killing anyone at that age, and the idiots who say they were just kids are thick,these  murdering scum bags showed they have sick minds and should have been locked up 4 life

Answer 14

I used to feel bitter towards them just like you but now i can only say, they were punished under the law and i hope they make the most of their new lives, i will never forget that shocking suffering murder.

Answer 15

I'm a Yank but I think I remember hearing about this. Is this the case where the kids killed the other kid because they wanted to know what it felt like? Pretty horrific but the little dead boy can't be brought back. That much is sure.

I can understand how some might be angry that their tax dollars are spent on child killers however.

I am so glad I've never had to make any decisons such as the ones the judges had to make in this case. Just awful.

Jude, your insights are amazing sometimes.