Thirty-two years after British toddler James Bulger was abducted and killed, it’s been claimed one of his murderers is now living in Australia and working in childcare.
The shocking allegation has been made by private investigator Bill Edgar, who tells Woman’s Day he was contacted by a woman from the UK claiming to be a relative of killer Robert Thompson and who hopes that by going public “the system will somehow change”.
Bill is keeping the family member’s name anonymous but says he’s verified her identity as a member of the wider Thompson family.
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Thompson and Jon Venables were just 10 when they led two-year-old James away from his mother at a shopping centre in Merseyside and, after brutally torturing him, ended his life near railway tracks.
The boys were found guilty of abduction and murder, becoming Britain’s youngest convicted killers and were released on life licences at 18 in 2001, given new identities and court-protected lifetime anonymity.
While Venables was recalled to prison for having child abuse imagery on his computer and breaching parole conditions, Thompson has remained free and his location unknown.
The relative claims Thompson may have worked in the Australian childcare industry and is living as a trans woman.
Bill believes the family member is motivated to speak out by being unwell and wanting to explain the “grief” she holds over what happened to James Bulger and his family.
“She said, ‘I could never tell them how sorry I was for what someone in my family did.’ She is disheartened the system allowed these two to walk free.”
She told Bill there’s “not a day that goes by she doesn’t look at a picture of James” and she has his image as a screensaver.
In 2000 it was reported that Thompson could be sent to New Zealand, Canada or Australia but a spokesman at the time said that wouldn’t be allowed as those with a criminal record are barred from entry.
In 2006 it was reported that Thompson was in the UK and in a long-term relationship with his male partner, who knew his identity.
