James Bulger: Jon Venables Escapes, Child Porn And Hating Maggie Atkinson
JAMES Bulger’s killer Jon Venables will not be charged for possessing “child porn”. This is a “bombshell”. Well, so says the Sunday Mirror on its front page, as we bring your our review of James Bulger in the news:
“Venables to escape child porn trial”
But we never did get to know for sure why Jon Venables was sent back to jail.
This story was never about the facts – it was about the lack of them.
And what with this beign Mothers’ Day, Sky News focuses on James Bulger’s mother, Denise Fergus:
Bulger Mother: ‘Sack Twisted Adviser’
Jo Couzens tells readers:
James Bulger’s mother has called for the Children’s Commissioner to be sacked for “twisted and insensitive” comments about the murder of her two-year-old son.
Dr Maggie Atkinson is a woman in the spotlight by her own choosing. She’s yet another expert with an expert’s opinion. She says 10 – the age Jon Venables was when he killed Bulger – is too young to understand “bad behaviour and serious wrongdoing”. The law says otherwise. Atkinson says the age should be raised to 12. The law says no.
The Ministry of Justice says:
“We believe that children aged 10 and over can differentiate between bad behaviour and serious wrongdoing. We do not intend to raise the age of criminal responsibility.”
Oh, and this is the same Dr Atkinson who described the killing and torture of a toddler as “exceptionally unpleasant“.
That is where the story ends. Although it doesn’t because Denise Fergus, James Bulger’s mother, can be relied upon to be upset – and to offer an opinion.
Here’s Denise Fergus:
“This woman owes James and me an apology for her twisted and insensitive comments. Then she should resign or be sacked.”
This is the Star’s:
“BULGER MUM’S FURY AT CHILD TSAR”
And so it is that we have an official target for our loathing. Dr Atkinson is the official in the wrong. She so wrong that eh must be sacked. But here’s is only one opinion in a sea of nodding heads. Atkinson is no more qualified in law then Denise Fergus is. Says Mrs Fergus:
“It is a shock to people like Dr Atkinson that children can be truly evil by 10. But it is a fact and I fear there will be more of them and we need laws to be tightened up so we can deal with them.”
But is Jon Venables evil?
* James Bulger’s killer Jon Venables has spoken to his mother for the first time since he was returned to prison.The 27-year-old was taken to the jail video suite where he spoke to mum Susan – who has a new identity like her son – via a television link.
Denis Fergus knows what he looks like. Will she tell? And her viw is imporatns. The NoTW says:
Denise and ex husband Ralph would be invited to make a statement to the parole board in the event Venables is referred to them.
And he might be because:
EVIL Jon Venables will escape prosecution for child porn offences but could still spend TEN YEARS in jail without trial.
That is how long the powerful parole board could cage him for breaching the conditions of his release on licence.
The News of the World has learned that Justice Secretary Jack Straw is being pushed by senior advisors to take the “easier option” of leaving the Venables case in the hands of parole chiefs.
The alternative is a trial which could blow Venables’ cover if he has to face charges of possession of Category Four material – one of the worst levels of child porn.
So ten years. Or as the Express puts it:
JAMES Bulger killer Jon Venables will be free from jail in just 12 months if convicted of alleged child porn offences, it was revealed yesterday.
With so much expert opinion, what to think?
Euan Ferguson is here to help:
I covered the murder, the trial, the 10-year anniversary. I know nothing deep about what happened – how can any of us – but I do know he was called “James” Bulger, never “Jamie”, and I do know that the mob is wrong, and always knows nothing, and we are violently wrong, unforgivably so, to listen to them. When even Harriet Harman can talk about “the court of public opinion”, rightly skewered last week by Matthew Parris (ooh, there are also some grand old maps too in the V&A by his near-namesake, but with the one “r”) as “a disgusting phrase” – when even the highest lawmakers in the land curtsey and slaver to the mob, we are in excitingly fabulous trouble. I don’t know whether the modern hell is worse than the medieval hell. But perhaps it’s time to update Satre. Hell is other people, talking.
David Mitchell adds:
The main reason that Jon Venables’s reincarceration has been all over the papers is that people enjoy reading about it – it’s another episode in a horrific but gripping story. The parts of people’s brains that it engages are, largely, the same parts that are turned on by a harrowing but compelling movie, and not a million miles away from those that flicker into life at an episode of Midsomer Murders.
Anyhow, here’s Peter Hitchens in the Mail:
Most things that are said and written about crime and disorder in Britain are complete tripe…
He doesn’t end it there. But he might. James Bulger was killed. One of his killers is back in jail. And the law is unsure what to do with him. The law, supposed bedrock of society, is unsure what the rules are…
Jon Venables: Vomiting Satan, Evil, Nurture And An ‘Unpleasant’ Thing
The Story so far:
Jon Venables Is An Election Pawn: Labour Fears As Tories Turn Screws
Jon Venables Is A Failure Of Jack Straw’s Law
Jon Venables: Jack Straw Gets Denise Fergus To Be Quiet
Jon Venables Thumb Sucks, Cop Shows And No News
David Calvert Is The Man Who Could Never Be Everton’s Jon Venables
Jon Venables: The Rapist, The Porn And The Parents
James Bulger Case in pictures
Life’s Been Hell For Jon Venables, James Bulger’s Killer Accused Of Possessing Child Porn
John Venables ‘Sex Crime’ As Jack Straw Forced To Meet James Bulger’s Mum Denise Fergus
James Bulger And Jon Venables: The Killer Worked As A Bouncer
James Bulger And Jon Venables: The Killer Is Identified
Jon Venables’ Girlfriend, A ‘Stabbing’ And A Politically Incorrect Jack Straw
James Bulger: This IS Jon Venables
James Bulger’s Killer Jon Venables: Pictures And Sickening Detail
Jon Venables Saved By The Nanny State
James Bulger Case in pictures
David Calvert Is The Man Who Could Never Be Everton’s Jon Venables
Posted: 14th, March 2010 | In: Key Posts, Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
