James Bulger’s killer could have his parole hearing made public, according to reports.
Jon Venables’ latest bid could see him freed from prison before Christmas, with the hearing originally set to be held privately.
But an anonymous applicant launched a call for the two-day hearing to be seen by the public.
According to The Sun, the Parole Board last night confirmed that the request was “being considered”.
Venables and Robert Thompson were locked up for the murder of the two-year-old in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993, when they were ten. They were freed at 18-years-old.
Venables, who is now 40 and has a new identity, has twice been jailed over child sex abuse images. He was denied parole in 2020.
According to reports, James’s parents Ralph Bulger, 55, and Denise Fergus, 54, want the November hearing to be “transparent”.
They added: “They fear a whitewash if it’s behind closed doors and feel the public has the right to know what is going on.” Venables is likely to appear via video link with a blurred face and distorted voice.
The Ministry of Justice said the Justice Secretary is “giving this case his close personal attention”.
