James Bulger, a Mother`s Story

For those of us who know Annie ,we know she meant no malice whatsoever by her comment. She was simply saying Denise has to live with that awful knowledge that if she continued to hold Jamie's hand it would never have happened. Likewise the McCann case. Not blaming these parents. We have all been a little lax at times. I expect Cuchulainn you are new to this site and don't yet know Annie from her posts.

I am sure neither of us will lose a lot of sleep over that. Words wound deeply, which is why we need to be careful how we use them. Read your comment again and reflect on how it came across.

I will leave it there. Have a good evening.

I never fail to accept a genuine apology, I cannot accept your apology

Yes, if I misunderstood.

she " let him run free in the shopping mall"

is a statement that is a long way from "she turned her back for a second" though it could simply be in the interpretation. So if I misunderstood, I apologise.

I guess you are the only one who really knows if I did or not.

If You misunderstood ?

It was no ones fault other than Thompson & Venables.

I am sure that Denise Fergus terrorises herself with that thought daily, the very title of her book ' I let him go' indicates incalculable regret and grief.

If I misunderstood your comment, then I apologise.

So have I, a long time ago, not for a second, probably about ten minutes , i still remember clearly the terror as I looked for her , thank God I found her but I was haunted for quite a long time thinking I shouldn't have turned my back to pull the sunshade over my second child in her pram, if she had come to harm it would have been my fault . This is what I remember when I see Mrs Fergus interviewed , and this is all I meant . Sarah Payne was murdered but her mother has said she thought she was safe with her siblings and how she so regrets that now.

Actually, yes. Once on Santa Monica pier, she slipped away for a second. Thankfully she was found. I have also lost sight of my grandson in a shop. I suspect if we are all being honest, we have all had a 'where are they' moment... but if you haven't then it is simply a case of 'there for the grace of God'

Have you ever lost a child Cuchulainn?

Anniebach, that is a remarkably crass and uninformed thing to say, not to mention viciously judgemental. Denise Fergus did not let James run free in a mall, she let go of his hand for a few seconds whilst she paid for her shopping. Toddlers move fast. Unfortunately for James two very depraved and disturbed boys were waiting to pounce, having tried several times before to take a younger child.

Denise Fergus has suffered the unimaginable horror of knowing that her young child, trusting enough to walk off with two boys, was led for miles on a cold Feb evening before being brutally brutally murdered. She knows that her little boy was calling for her ' I want my mummy' and she wasn't there.

To suggest by your abhorrent flippant comment that she was in some way to blame is a vile, vulgar and unforgivable thing to say. You should be ashamed.

The mother has to live with - what if I hadn't let him run free in the shopping mall, that must be hell

I didn't watch the programme, I found myself reading an article in The Sunday Times magazine a couple of weeks ago, about baby Jamie's death and it upset me as much as it did back then. My heart goes out to Denise Fergus and her ex husband. Every time I see pictures of their sweet innocent child, he reminds me of every little boy I've ever known. Like the McCann's their lives will be defined by "what ifs". I just wish them peace.

Venables needs a new lawyer .

I didn't watch the programme, I don't think it should have been made. All it will do is incite hatred for the two in another generation,

I assume the baying mob who wanted to hang two ten year old children were shown .

I doubt Venables can ever live a peaceful life , he surely has been too badly damaged and when released will continue to live in fear .

I didn't watch this programme as I feel very uncomfortable seeing such distressing matters presented as 'entertainment.'
Absolutely no easy answers.

I watched a brief interview of Venables' lawyer yesterday, and he said that he believes he was and is a very, very manipulative and dangerous person who should be locked away.

This case is all too vivid in my memory. Horrific from every point of view. I was ashamed of our justice system when I saw the way the two boys were treated, in a public adult court, names eventually released to the public. In most civilised countries ten-year-olds wouldn’t be considered to have reached the age of criminal responsibility. It made us look like a third world country.

I’m so relieved to read the posts on here from people who feel much the same. The ‘baying crowd’ showed yet another of the worst and most primitive aspects of our society. It is all too visible even now on social media like Twitter.

I didn’t watch the programme.

I watched the programme earlier this week asking if justice had been done talking to the lawyers and police involved in the case it was very interesting. I have not seen the programme with Jamie's mother yet I have recorded it. I don't know what the answer is but it was horrendous at the time

Thank you Bluebelle for the link. Very interesting article

www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/mar/20/norway-town-forgave-child-killers

Whoever has posted a recent photo on facebook should in my eyes be prosecuted. I have no respect at all for the 'baying crowds'. Society needs to do all we can to help Venables and Thompson live as normal a life as possible now IMHO.

I have heard professionals say that these boys were treated so wronglly at going through court being tried as adults I m not defending their actions at all it is a tragedy all round
I saw a bit of an interesting programme I only saw a bit so can’t quote very well but I think it was Norway where they had a totally different way of dealing with child killers which seemed to be working They didn’t put them into prison
Children aren’t born evil or murderers something’s happens along their childhood I will never forget hearing the baying crowd when they were taking them away in the van
Unfortunately someone has found a recent photo of Venerables and posted it on FB so now there is a baying crowd ‘after him’
Poor little Jamie and everyone involved

What are you suggesting as punishment callgirl? They had their liberty removed from them. Those two lads were 'punished' from the moment they were born. Horrific backgrounds.

Tragic.
Venables is now another persona, who will be revealed to others as a deviant.
I so remember this having a son at the same age as these murderous boys and feeling such hurt and disbelief that that children of this (that) age were even capable of such a horrific act.
I hope that poor Denise Bulger can get some peace of mind.

The saying "Hurt people hurt people" comes to mind. Tragic. I don't know what the answer is.

Most paedophiles were abused as children themselves. It's a hellish vicious circle.