James Bulger’s Mother Slams Labour Review Considering Raising Age Of Criminal Responsibility

The mother of murdered toddler James Bulger has fiercely criticised Labour’s review into youth justice after the Government opened the door to potentially raising the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales.

Denise Fergus, whose two-year-old son James was abducted and brutally murdered in 1993 by two 10-year-old boys, warned the proposals would be “a dangerous move” and urged ministers to reconsider any plans to weaken criminal accountability for children involved in serious crimes.

The controversial debate erupted after Justice Secretary David Lammy’s youth justice review suggested the Government may explore whether the current minimum age of criminal responsibility — set at 10 — still reflects “modern understanding of childhood, vulnerability and development in today’s society.”

The review stopped short of making formal recommendations but referenced international pressure to increase the threshold, including guidance from a United Nations committee which recommends children under 14 should generally not be held criminally responsible.

For Denise Fergus, however, the suggestion reopened wounds that have never healed.

“I have seen firsthand how adult crimes can be committed by children,” she said.

“If you are capable of committing an adult crime, you should be tried in the courts like an adult.”

James Bulger was abducted from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993 by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, who were both 10 years old at the time. The pair led the toddler away before torturing and murdering him in a case that horrified Britain and became one of the country’s most infamous crimes.

Venables and Thompson were convicted and later released in 2001 at the age of 18 after serving eight years in secure youth institutions under new identities. While Thompson has reportedly not reoffended, Venables has repeatedly returned to prison after being caught with child abuse material in 2010 and again in 2017.

Fergus said those later offences prove children are still capable of understanding the gravity of violent crimes.

“For me, this shows that children are still capable of committing adult crimes which can have a devastating effect on victims’ families,” she said.

The Labour review also examined how other countries approach youth justice, pointing to Scotland, where the age of criminal responsibility was raised from eight to 12 in 2021. Ireland was also cited as an example where the standard age is 12, although children aged 10 or 11 can still face prosecution for severe crimes including murder, manslaughter, rape, and aggravated sexual assault.

Critics argue any increase in the age threshold could create dangerous loopholes and encourage gangs to exploit younger children for criminal activity.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Labour of weakening the justice system, warning that criminal networks could use children under the prosecution age to carry out offences without fear of punishment.

Victims’ advocate Jean Taylor, founder of Families Fighting for Justice, also voiced concern.

“Does a 10-year-old know the difference between right and wrong? Yes, they do,” she said.

“I would urge the Government to think long and hard before they act.”

Alongside the debate over criminal responsibility, Labour also announced plans to reform how youth convictions are disclosed later in life, particularly for jobs involving children or vulnerable people. The Government additionally pledged tougher parenting orders aimed at families of repeat young offenders.

The Ministry of Justice said no final decisions have been made, but the discussion has already triggered a fierce national backlash — especially among victims’ families who fear some crimes are simply too serious to ignore, regardless of age.