James Bulger killer Jon Venables denied parole

<p>Now 38, Venables and his friend Robert Thompson were 10 when they killed the two-year-old in 1993, having taken him from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside.</p><p>The pair were freed on license in 2001 after eight years in prison. They were both granted lifelong anonymity and have lived under new identities since.</p><p>Venables is currently in jail for possessing indecent images of children and the Parole Board told Sky News his application for release had been denied.</p><p>"We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board did not direct the release of Mr Venables following an assessment of his case," a spokesperson said.</p><p>"Under current legislation Mr Venables will be eligible for a further review within two years. The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice."</p><p>James' father Ralph Bulger told The Mirror he could "rest easy" after learning of the decision.</p><p>"This is the first time ever that the right decision has been made regarding my son's killers," he said. "I am so relieved because I was convinced he was getting out - just as he has done before."</p><p>Venables was recalled to prison for two years in 2010 after pleading guilty to downloading and distributing indecent images of children and breaking his parole conditions by returning to Merseyside.</p><p>He was released with a second new identity, before being recalled to prison again in 2017 over indecent images of children. He was sentenced to three years and four months in 2018.</p><p>Mr Bulger <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/james-bulgers-father-loses-court-bid-against-jon-venables-anonymity-11655159" target="_blank"><strong>lost a bid last year</strong></a> to have information about his son's killer made public, with a judge saying an anonymity order is necessary to stop Venables "being put to death".</p>