One of James Bulger’s murderers is reportedly preparing for a new life overseas at the expense of the British taxpayer.
Ongoing costs and complications associated with creating new identities for Jon Venables, who was aged 10 when he killed the two-year-old, are believed to be a factor behind the decision to give him a new life in either Australia, New Zealand or Canada.
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Now 36, Venables is believed to have had a number of identities since his conviction in 1993 – a new name and address each time he is outed.
Speaking to the Daily Star, a source claimed: “Venables is costing a fortune. [Their] thinking is that it would be cheaper to get rid of him abroad than keep forking out.”
James Bulger’s dad, Ralph, has sought to overturn Venables’ lifelong anonymity.
But Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane upheld the injunction in March this year, telling Mr Bulger that the order was in place to prevent Venables from “being put to death”.
He said the killer is “uniquely notorious” and would likely be pursued if found out – with grave, and potentially fatal, consequences.
Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, also aged 10 at the time, snatched James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool, and then tortured and murdered him.
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While Thompson has not been heard of since, Venables has been locked away twice for owning child abuse imagery and a manual for paedophiles.
It follows a controversial Channel 5 documentary on the case, aired earlier this year, that James’ mum Denise branded “disgusting”.
Reacting to James Bulger: New Revelations on Twitter, she said: “I’ve had to watch the disgusting documentary to know what I’m Having to deal with.
“I can honestly say I am upset, fuming with the one-sided sympathy with the evil killers of my beautiful son who was only 2 years old when they abducted and murdered him.”
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