Britain's most notorious child killer could be walking free in time for Christmas after being granted a new parole hearing.
According to a friend, Jon Venables' case will be heard at some point in the next few weeks, which could see him freed from HMP Frankland.
Venables, who at the age of 10 was one of two boys to murder two-year-old Jamie Bulger, applied for parole in 2021 ahead of new legislation giving ministers the power to block the release of dangerous criminals for public safety reasons set to come in next year.
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He, alongside accomplice Robert Thompson, was released in 2001 and given a new identity to enable him to live a normal life free from reprisals.
But he was jailed again in 2017 after he was found to be in possession of child abuse images. The Parole Board has previously twice denied Venables' freedom as there was still evidence he was attracted to sexual violence.
A source told The Sun : “Venables is buoyant as he believes this is his best, and possibly his last, chance of freedom.
“He has got the official confirmation and has been working on his presentation to the parole panel.”
However another source shot down any chances of Venables being released when he spoke to the news outlet.
“It is incredibly unlikely Venables will be recommended for release,” he said.
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“He’s a chaotic character who has clearly not rehabilitated.”
A spokesman for the Parole Board confirmed that the hearing is going ahead and that they are “following standard procedures”.
When Venables was due to have another hearing last year, Jamie Bulger's father Ralph slammed the idea that his son's killer could be freed.
Ralph said, when Dominic Raab was Justice Secretary: “If the Justice Secretary is serious on reform then he must allow me to be present at Venables’ parole hearing, just as I was at his Old Bailey hearing."
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