Jon Venables insists he has been ‘fully rehabilitated’ and is no longer a danger to the public as he makes a last-ditch bid for freedom – 30 years after the murder of toddler James Bulger

James Bulger’s killer Jon Venables insists he has been ‘fully rehabilitated’ in his latest bid for freedom.

Two-year-old James was tortured and murdered by Venables and his accomplice Robert Thompson, both aged 10, after they snatched him from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993.

Venables, now 41, was given a closed hearing after the Parole Board ruled a public hearing would cause “disproportionate emotional distress” to the killer, but he still failed to show up.

But his bid for parole was postponed last month and he was given “one last chance” to protest. The Parole Board has said a decision on his release will be made “sometime in the week beginning December 11.”

The killer, who was twice jailed for possessing indecent images of children, now claims he has been ‘reformed’ and poses ‘no danger’ to the public. The sun reported.

However, a source has argued that ‘many’ people believe Venables is ‘not ready for the outside world’ – echoing the Bulger family’s pleas to keep him locked up.

Venables and Robert Thompson, now 41, were both 10 years old when they kidnapped, tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger (pictured) before abandoning his mutilated body near a Liverpool railway line 30 years ago.

“It’s like he’s getting more chances than he needs to show he’s ready to be released,” the insider told the newspaper. “Many argued that failure to appear at his own parole hearing showed he was not ready for the outside world.”

The comment comes just days after news broke that James’ had family reportedly wrote to probation officers about Venables’ release.

A family source said last week: ‘The family have written to decision-makers, saying they believe Venables is a danger to the public and children and that he should remain locked up.’

The insider went on to say that it should be ‘a dry case’ and that no additional time was needed to debate whether ‘monster’ Venables should be released.

Venables’ bid has already sparked controversy after it emerged he skipped giving evidence at the two-day hearing to avoid ‘disproportionate emotional distress’.

Venables and Thompson were both 10 years old when they kidnapped, tortured and murdered James – before abandoning his mutilated body near a Liverpool railway line 30 years ago.

The child killers were convicted of murder in November 1993 and held indefinitely.

The couple was released in 2001 at the age of 18 after just eight years and given a new identity. Thompson has not reoffended.

After his release in 2001, Venables was recalled to prison twice, in 2010 and 2017, after he was found to be in possession of indecent images of children.

Venables was rejected for parole in 2020 after serving his minimum 40 months.

After his release in 2001, he was given a new name – which may happen when he is released again. Previous conditions placed on Venables included informing his probation officer if he ever got a job and obtaining their permission before leaving the UK.

He was required to regularly visit a forensic psychologist and was not allowed to contact Robert Thompson or any member of James Bulger’s family.

Two-year-old James Bulger (pictured) was snatched from a shopping center in Bootle, Merseyside, on February 12, 1993

The child killers were convicted of murder in November 1993 and held indefinitely. The couple was released in 2001 at the age of 18 after just eight years and given a new identity. Thompson (photo) did not commit a foul. But Venables was sent back to prison in 2010 and 2017 after being caught with child abuse images on his PC

He also had to ask his probation officer for permission to leave Merseyside, stay in the same house as a child under 16 or spend time with anyone under 12.

An exclusive report from MailOnline earlier this month revealed that Venables is likely to be subject to the strictest release conditions ever if he is released on parole, including lie detector tests and strict restrictions on his movements and use of the internet.

A criminal lawyer told MailOnline that the conditions would include ‘very heavy monitoring and restriction of his movements’.

This may include curfews, restrictions on international travel and access to the internet and the requirement to live in a ‘predetermined place’.