Jon Venables Face And Name Revealed
BECAUSE someone has posted what he claims to be photos of Jon Venables on the internet, one of James Bulger’s killers will have to be given a new identity and be re-housed (he was living in Cheshire).
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice says:
“Such a change of identity is extremely rare and granted only when the police assess that there is clear and credible evidence of a sustained threat to the offender’s life on release into the community.”
The Sun reports:
The activist, who again The Sun cannot name, said: “The picture has now been seen by millions. I don’t believe Jon Venables or any convicted sex offender has the right to anonymity or a protected identity. It is the public that needs protection.”
How is the public protected by being shown photos of a man the State says cannot be named nor revealed for his own safety? Have we lost faith in the system and the rule of law, achieved by consensus?
The Liverpool Post reports:
Ralph Bulger, James’ dad, was not at the Old Bailey yesterday to see Venables jailed for two years.
But his solicitor Robin Makin was there on his behalf and believes the authorities have to answer for their actions.
He also said they had hoped Venables would be given an indefinite jail term for public protection (IPP).
Mr Makin said: “No-one has taken into account the danger this man poses. The public was not protected in this case.
“We are upset because no-one considered a sexual element in the original crime, the murder of James, so it could not be brought up here to show past history…
“It was a ticking timebomb waiting to go off, putting him so close to Liverpool and to the scene of it all. It will only have upped the pressure. They gave him a new identity but if he was so close, that cannot have helped.”
What now..?
Spotter: Karen
May 5th, 2011 at 10:55 am
ive been looking for the pics for two days,is this a hoax coz i cant find anywhere?
May 5th, 2011 at 10:26 am
Because, Karen. they are knuckle-dragging, ignorant wasters who probably spend their time chasing vans carrying alleged miscreants on their way to the dole office (sorry for being stereotypical but remember it is precisely this type of person who ended up attacking a paediatrician a few years ago).
The horrendous spelling/grammar of the posters on his facebook site give an indication of the intellectual quality of his supporters.
And the nature of Venables’ offence is irrelevant. There is an injunction prohibiting publication of his photo/identity and a person who would break this ban is hardly indiciative of the type of person who has any respect for the rule of law.
May 5th, 2011 at 10:20 am
Reading the info on Facebook, I can understand why JV falls into the category of people they are exposing because of the nature of his recent offence. However, RT has not re-offended and was a child himself when he committed the crime.
I’m not excusing what either of them have done – just pointing out that RT does not meet that particular organisation’s criteria so why should they reveal his identity?
May 5th, 2011 at 10:14 am
I think you are right coolandcalm. In the Omand report into Venables’ recent offending, he concluded by saying that the judicial system should think very carefully about ever naming child offenders again. I think it will never happen again and I am very pleased to see the two kids in the Edlington case were never named.
I can also see the age of criminal responsibility being raised and even those just within the age of responsibility being deemed too young to appear in crown court.
I will always believe that the justice system in England was shamed the day Venables and Thompson appeared in the dock of a crown court stuffed to the rafters with press. It was shamed even more when the judge presiding over the case named them and released their images. I can remember a French reporter at the time being horrified, describing the spectacle as medieval barbarism.
May 5th, 2011 at 10:02 am
sadly there are many who won’t rest until they’re both taken out. Even saw a comment yesterday suggesting they deserve US Navy Seal retribution a la OBL.
I don’t think the justice system will ever again treat children as adults….. I hope it doesn’t anyway.
May 5th, 2011 at 9:26 am
(sorry that should have read Thompson is more vulnerable to attack at the moment (not being in prison) and HAS not re-offended.) Call it sleepy typing in the morning!
May 5th, 2011 at 9:25 am
Facebook is a difficult one as it’s could be argued that he is not publishing in the UK.
But yes, his own website is another story. He CAN be prosecuted for that. I note he is threatening to reveal Robert Thompson’s identity which is utterly disgraceful in my opinion. Thompson is more vulnerable to attack at the moment (not being in prison) is HAS not re-offended.
The nature of the supposed ‘justice’ brigade is actually revealing itself to be very ugly indeed.
May 5th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Emma, his Facebook page is still there and it says the website will be back up today with further details that the media were banned from printing.
Is what he’s doing illegal or not? I.e. is the information he’s publishing not subject to some sort of injunction?
May 5th, 2011 at 9:06 am
The quote from Robin Makin is taken out of context. He actually has always been really moderate and fair in this case. It is why I have enormous respect for Ralph Bulger who has largely resisted sinking into tabloid-hate fuelled rants. I have no doubt his calm approach is in no small way down to Makin’s good counsel (Makin also represents Ian Brady by the way so knows something about hated defendants on both sides of the fence). Makin puts forward his client’s view but always underlines it with an understanding of the other point of view (yes, he said they would have preferred an indefinate sentence but admitted that the sentence was perfectly within guidelines). An IPP sentence in this case would have been impossible anyway, given that Venables is on a life sentence already. He CAN be kept in prison indefinately should the Parole Board wish.
I remember when T&V were released, Makin actually put out a statement saying that he blamed Michael Howard for extending the sentence – he said that he should have left well alone and the family wouldn’t have been put through the ordeal of constant appeals.
In any case, the knuckle-dragging, neanderthal nature of our tabloid press and the vigilante brigade have virtually guaranteed that another small fortune will have to be spent on Venables when he is released.
I note, however, that the site which put the details up (I have seen them although I have known JV’s identity for around 9 months) has been taken down. I wouldn’t be surprised if the owner of the site finds himself up before a magistrate for contempt of court.