Mother of murdered toddler James Bulger tells ITV News it is right Brianna Ghey’s killers are named
Video report by ITV News Evening News Presenter Mary Nightingale, words by Specialist Producer Louisa Felton
They have been known only as Girl X and Boy Y, but tomorrow the teenagers who stabbed Brianna Ghey to death will have their identities and photographs revealed to the public for the first time.
More than 30 years since her own child, James Bulger, was murdered, Denise Fergus says she believes there is a public interest and it is right the judge in Brianna’s case has taken the rare decision to lift the anonymity of her killers.
"I do think they should be identified," she told ITV News.
"What is the point in telling half a story? Because that's what it'd be like.
"People want to know more, what's happened and want know why.
"You want to know what these people look like, who took this innocent child's life away and destroyed an entire family."
James was just two when ten year olds Jon Venables and Robert Thompson lured him away from his mother from a Merseyside shopping centre in 2003.
The brutal murder and torture of James is one of the most notorious crimes in British history and chilling CCTV of Venables holding James’s hand whilst leading him away to his death became etched in the national consciousness.
The identity of children convicted of serious crimes are usually protected until they turn 18, but Denise says knowing who killed her little boy helped her cope with the tragedy.
“I wanted to know what James's killers looked like," she said.
"You want to see the faces that took your child away from you. You want to see the faces of who spent the last few minutes with your child.
"I don't think I would've been able to carry on the way I have not knowing what they looked like."
Despite her pain, for the past three decades, Denise has tirelessly fought for justice for James and for victims’ rights.
She says through her campaigning, she hopes she can help others, like the family of Brianna Ghey.
"I feel so sorry for the family, they're on a long road, a long journey.
"It's just horrendous, to hear again, that two kids have taken not only a young girl's life, but also destroyed the entire family.
"Like Thompson and Venables did with mine. If Brianna's mum wants to meet, I'm more than willing to do that.
"I can't bring James back, but what I'm here for now - if someone wants my help, if I can help them, of course I will do it."
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