James Bulger

: For the American wanted by the FBI for murder, see James J. Bulger.

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James Bulger (March 16, 1990 – February 12, 1993) was a toddler who was abducted and murdered by two ten-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, on Merseyside, in the United Kingdom. The murder of a child by two other children caused an immense public outpouring of shock, outrage, and grief, particularly in Liverpool and surrounding towns. The trial judge ordered that the two boys should be detained for "very, very many years to come". Shortly after the trial, Lord Taylor of Gosforth, the Lord Chief Justice, ordered that the two boys should serve a minimum of 10 years behind bars—which would make them eligible for release in 2003. But the popular press and certain sections of the public felt that the sentence was too lenient, and the editors of The Sun handed a petition bearing 300,000 signatures to Home Secretary Michael Howard in a bid to increase the time spent in custody. In 1995, the two boys' minimum period to be served was increased to 15 years, a ruling which meant they would not be considered for release until 2008, by which time they would both be 26 years old.

Related Topics:
March 16 - 1990 - February 12 - 1993 - Toddler - Abducted - Murder - Merseyside - United Kingdom - Liverpool - 2003 - The Sun - Home Secretary - Michael Howard - 1995 - 2008

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In 1997, however, the Court of Appeal ruled that Michael Howard's decision to set a 15-year tariff was unlawful, and the Home Secretary lost his power to set minimum terms for life sentence prisoners under the age of 18 years (he would later lose his powers to set minimum terms for adult life sentence prisoners in 2002).

Related Topics:
1997 - Court of Appeal - 2002

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Thompson and Venables were released on a life licence in June 2001 after serving eight years of their life sentence (reduced for good behaviour), when a parole hearing concluded that public safety would not be threatened by their rehabilitation into society. An injunction was imposed shortly after the trial preventing the publication of details about the boys for fear of reprisals by members of the public. The injunction remained in force following their release so that details of their new identities and locations could not be published.

Related Topics:
Life licence - 2001 - Parole - Injunction

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James' mother, Denise Bulger, was given £7,500 criminal compensation from the government. The trauma of James' death led to the collapse of his parents' marriage. Ralph and Denise Bulger have both since re-married to other respective spouses.

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