Jon Venables Jailed For Possessing Over 1,000 Abuse Images

[naomi24]

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has accused the authorities of "colluding" to cover up his killer's behaviour and has branded his 40 months sentence ‘a farce’. There are also calls for his anonymity to be lifted before he strikes again. This is the second time since his initial release he’s been jailed for possessing such images, described by the judge as "vile" and "heartbreaking", so the question is are we too lenient on people like him and does there come a time when we should decide to throw away the key?

https://news.sky.com/story/james-bulgers-killer-jon-venables-jailed-for-possessing-over-1000-abuse-images-11239900

[ladybirder]

Was intent involved in the case you mention Islay? Thompson and Venables had already failed in a previous attempt that day to kidnap another child whose mother luckily stopped them. The manner of Jamie's death was absolutely horrendous, sexually abused, stoned to death and then laid on a railway line and run over. How much worse can it get?

[Islay]

6 year old boys beating a child to death imo is very similar - I don't think I said it was the same at all.

[chelle7272]

Is this the one Islay
https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/mar/20/norway-town-forgave-child-killers

[anneasquith]

Islay, I wasn't inferring you did .

[cassa333]

In my mind there is no such thing as 'second hand abuse' in relation to child sex offences.

What is being done to these children is because of people like venables. The actual perpetrators take great pleaseure in making the images but let's not forget they are also done for the delectation of others.

I would make everyone involved from the abuser to the distributor, to the carver who takes them along for the ordeal and right down to the one purchasing, viewing or downloading the images.

Every time that image is viewed is an abuse of the child.

[Togo]

Perhaps the first thing that needs to be done is to remove the anonymity cover that he enjoys. We have no compunction in naming and shaming people who are totally innocent of any crime whatsoever, as long as someone is prepared to make an accusation. Why are the "authorities" and "experts" so welded to the idea that this excuse for a human being needs their protection?

[ummmm]

Because he will be killed.

[Togo]

Never mind Ehh.

[naomi24]

I haven’t watched the programme Islay has referred to but from what I can gather from other people’s comments the situation was very different indeed. For one thing these two boys weren’t 6 – they were 10 years old and what they did they did with intent. They took Jamie Bulger, deliberately tortured him, and according to part of a transcript of the police tapes I read this morning, said they were throwing bricks at Jamies’ head and they wanted him to die. Very clearly no comparison whatsoever.

[Garaman]

It was a shocking affair, and one of a handful of cases that stick in our minds. Venables is obviously still twisted and should be kept locked up. I find it harder to decide if the original ‘punishment’ was appropriate or not as I really don’t know how much someone so young would understand. They would know right from wrong, but would they understand the gravity of what they were doing? They clearly didn’t understand that it would be easy to catch them, and they clearly didn’t understand what others would think of them. I just don’t know is the honest truth.

[anneasquith]

These boys had many opportunities to stop what they were doing and walk away, they must at 10 years old have recognized that this baby ( Jamie) was distressed, hurt, crying. What makes them not stop ? Were they always going to torture sexually abuse and murder him??

[Cloverjo]

The little lad's name was James. Denise Fergus has said she hates the press and commentators renaming him as Jamie.

[pixie374]

I don't know about Norway, but in this country, at least, 10 is the age of criminal responsibility. They were old enough to know better. We were much too soft on him.

[Mamyalynne]

Is Jon Venables a lost cause?

From what we know so far and the capabilities of our system as it stands it seems he may be - maybe locking him away is all we can really do.

[anneasquith]

He can't be locked away forever for his latest crime he served his time for his initial one .

[pixie374]

Doesn't a murder have to have a life sentence? Or is that only for adults?

[Cloverjo]

I thought he was released 'on licence' which means he can be recalled to prison for any wrong he does.

[Barmaid]

He can, Anne. He was released on life licence.

[Barmaid]

Pixie - adult murderers are always sentenced for life. However, with some they have to serve a minimum term before they can be considered for parole. Others are sentenced to a "whole life tariff".

These two were sentenced to an indeterminate sentence "at her majesty's pleasure".

[Islay]

Pixie part of the program covered if 10 years old is the right age for criminal action - Europe is on average 13-15.
The part of the brain that allows you to think through your action does not develop until you hit puberty that is why the age limits are higher in other countries.