and over must be excruciating. I couldn't bear it.

James would be 23 now. Very sad.

It's not safe for him to be out of prison.

I agree, he should never, ever be released.

</sarcasm>

I don't think we, as uninformed people with no expertise, can know enough about his psychology to be able to say "he must be in prison for the rest of his life".

I don't think there's been any other murder that affected me like that one. I read that long article that was posted in the OP, and all I could think was how Denise Fergus must feel. I know they were only ten when they murdered James Bulger, but if it gave Denise Fergus even a second of comfort, I'd be all for them both staying in prison for the rest of their lives.

While child pornography isn't quite on the same level as murder (at least for the sake of argument), his return to rather heinous crime after release proves to me that he should be locked up. Perhaps "not guilty by reason of mental defect" or whatever the UK equivalent is, so he can stay in Broadmoor until informed people with expertise have determined he's safe.

he needs to remain inside - even if there's a qualified psychiatrist among us, they won't have the necessary evidence. I agree that longer in prison or a secure unit might be the best thing, but there could be enough of a difference between child porn and murder/torture that we can't just say "it's that same problem as from when he was 10".

If he had been evaluated by a criminal/forensic psychologist prior to his first release, I wouldn't be surprised if he had been retained in the system. I am actually surprised he was sentenced as any kind of a criminal - I think we can all agree that a 10 year old who does something like this is likely more "mentally defective" than just thuggish.

followed by a release on license (which is what kept him in prison for 3 years after the conviction for child porn, although the sentence for that was just 2 years). Trying him for murder was controversial, but the sentence did take into account that he was a child; his time in detention was not just a simple imprisonment - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_James_Bulger .

was the big story. I just don't know what to make of 10-year-olds doing such a thing. A 10-year-old is not capable of consent - therefore their actions cannot be held accountable for their actions at least to in the same sense that adult. It is true that someone who did something at the age of when they are too young to consent for their actions cannot be held forever. But given how extreme it was - it is hard to know what to do.

And this poor woman will no longer have to suffer as badly.

The pictures of Venables were accidentally leaked by someone who knew him. I don't know about Thompson.

I can't link/show you as I live in Britain and could be culpable in breaking the law.

When 2 ten yr olds abduct, torture & kill a 2 yr old, we know society is in deep trouble. The fact that one of the killers has been given chances b/4, yet broke laws related to children goes to show he will offend again. Whose child will be next?

The bigger question is what in these 10 yr old's lives & upbringing would have caused them to do such a dastardly deed. Will the other murderer be given parole as well, or is he already out?

If the parole board thinks this is a good idea, then they must want more child pornography circulated (as he has proven he will do), or they are insane. Either way, they should be replaced w/members who have, at least, some common sense.