The James Bulger murder and 10 crimes that shook Britain
It is 20 years since James Bulger was abducted and killed in one of the country's most shocking crimes
Led to his death:
The image of toddler James Bulger being led away from a shopping arcade by his killers still haunts 20 years on. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted of torturing and murdering the youngster, but their life sentences were set to a minimum of just eight years.The case is one of the most shocking crimes in recent UK history.We look back at other crimes that shook the nation...
1 - The murder of James Bulger
Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, the two boys jailed in 1993 for beating to death of two-year-old toddler James Bulger (pictured)
Reuters
James Bulger, who was just short of his third birthday, was murdered in February 1993 by two 10-year-old boys who lured him away from a Liverpool shopping arcade while his mother was distracted.The boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, led the crying toddler on a two and a half mile walk across the city to Walton.
Robert Thompson, 10 years of age, poses for a mugshot for British authorities February 20, 1993
Getty
Jon Venables, 10 years of age, poses for a mugshot for British authorities February 20, 1993
There, on a rarely used piece of railway, they used bricks and sticks to beat and torture him and finally killed him by repeatedly dropping a 22lbs piece of steel railway track on his head.The killers then placed his body across a rail hoping people would think he had been killed by a train.When he was found two days later his body had been cut in half by a freight train but police examinations showed he was already dead before he was run over.CTV from the shopping centre showed him being led away by the two older boys, who were soon caught.Thompson and Venables were tried and convicted, becoming the youngest murderers ever in British history.
2 - The assassination of Airey Neave
Airey Neave Conservative MP Aug 1973, chairman of the Member of Parliament
Daily Mirror
Airey Neave, a leading Conservative MP and shadow cabinet minister, was assassinated as he drove his car out of the car park under the House of Commons on 30 March 1979.A bomb, activated by a mercury tilt switch, exploded under his Vauxhall as the 63 year old politician drove up the exit ramp.Neave, who had been appointed shadow Minister for Northern Ireland by Margaret Thatcher, died hours later from terrible injuries.The Irish National Liberation Army, a break away group from the Provisional IRA, claimed responsibility.The incident was the only ever murder of a politician inside the Houses of Parliament and caused public outrage.Years later a debate raged over who actually killed him, with some politicians claiming Neave was murdered by MI6 and the CIA because he was going to expose spies inside Western Intelligence.No one has ever been convicted of his murder.
It is 20 years since James Bulger was abducted and killed in one of the country's most shocking crimes
Led to his death: The image of toddler James Bulger being led away from a shopping arcade by his killers still haunts 20 years on. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted of torturing and murdering the youngster, but their life sentences were set to a minimum of just eight years.The case is one of the most shocking crimes in recent UK history.We look back at other crimes that shook the nation...
1 - The murder of James Bulger
Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, the two boys jailed in 1993 for beating to death of two-year-old toddler James Bulger (pictured) Reuters
James Bulger, who was just short of his third birthday, was murdered in February 1993 by two 10-year-old boys who lured him away from a Liverpool shopping arcade while his mother was distracted.The boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, led the crying toddler on a two and a half mile walk across the city to Walton.
Robert Thompson, 10 years of age, poses for a mugshot for British authorities February 20, 1993 Getty
Jon Venables, 10 years of age, poses for a mugshot for British authorities February 20, 1993 There, on a rarely used piece of railway, they used bricks and sticks to beat and torture him and finally killed him by repeatedly dropping a 22lbs piece of steel railway track on his head.The killers then placed his body across a rail hoping people would think he had been killed by a train.When he was found two days later his body had been cut in half by a freight train but police examinations showed he was already dead before he was run over.CTV from the shopping centre showed him being led away by the two older boys, who were soon caught.Thompson and Venables were tried and convicted, becoming the youngest murderers ever in British history.
2 - The assassination of Airey Neave
Airey Neave Conservative MP Aug 1973, chairman of the Member of Parliament Daily Mirror
Airey Neave, a leading Conservative MP and shadow cabinet minister, was assassinated as he drove his car out of the car park under the House of Commons on 30 March 1979.A bomb, activated by a mercury tilt switch, exploded under his Vauxhall as the 63 year old politician drove up the exit ramp.Neave, who had been appointed shadow Minister for Northern Ireland by Margaret Thatcher, died hours later from terrible injuries.The Irish National Liberation Army, a break away group from the Provisional IRA, claimed responsibility.The incident was the only ever murder of a politician inside the Houses of Parliament and caused public outrage.Years later a debate raged over who actually killed him, with some politicians claiming Neave was murdered by MI6 and the CIA because he was going to expose spies inside Western Intelligence.No one has ever been convicted of his murder.