Murdered James Bulger’s mum has told of her “pure relief and elation” after killer Jon Venables had his freedom bid rejected by parole chiefs yesterday – hailing the decision as “the best thing that has happened to me in 30 years”.

Triumphant Denise Fergus, who has tirelessly campaigned for justice for her son for three decades, revealed how she was “finally vindicated” after a parole board yesterday agreed evil Jon Venables, now 41, remained a danger to kids and could not be trusted back on the streets.

Yesterday a parole board panel said they were concerned Venables – just ten when he tortured and murdered tiny James in 1993 – has “continuing issues of sexual preoccupation” and were “not satisfied” the public would be safe if he was released.

Today Denise said she was delighted Venables could now be in jail indefinitely if new Government laws to never release dangerous reoffending, sexual attackers were introduced – saying: “I feel we have finally been listened to and the whole nation is safe from the most dangerous, murdering sexual predator”.

In her first interview since yesterday’s landmark news, Denise, 54, said: “I have fought for justice for James and to keep his killer behind bars for years so the decision to not let him walk free is the best thing that has happened to me for 30 years. It’s a huge day for us. I could barely sleep for the dread and fear, one of the most evil men on the planet could be back on our streets. I had braced myself for his release.

“So when I was told the news Venables’ parole had been rejected I was just shellshocked, it’s the first time ever something has gone my way. I just felt so relieved. It feels like the decision is vindication for all the times I have told people he is a danger to society and that he would harm again. I’m so pleased the parole board have agreed with that.

“I just hope Venables now gets to feel a bit of the anguish I have felt for all these years because I’ve been to hell and back but it’s him that has lost.”

She added: “I don’t think he should ever see the light of day again. I have never said that before but now I mean it. What he did to James and his reoffending actions after show he can’t be rehabilitated. This man has no remorse, no sympathy, no pity, no apology for us so he should be kept in.”

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mirror told how she had been wracked with nerves and unable to sleep ahead of the decision but felt a “wave of shock and then relief” on hearing the news.

She also told of her happiness that Venables, who initially served less than eight years in a young offenders institute for James’ murder, will now “get the time in adult jail he should’ve in the first place”.

Tiny James was murdered by Venables and Robert Thompson – both aged 10 – in February 1993. They grabbed the boy from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, after his mum let go of his hand for a second.

The killers dragged him two miles to a rail line where they tortured and battered him to death. They were convicted of murder in November 1993 and ordered to be detained indefinitely – but were released aged 18 in 2001 with new identities after less than eight years. Thompson, also 41, has not reoffended.

But Venables, now 41, was sent back to jail in 2010 and 2017 after being caught with child sex abuse images on his computer. He was turned down for parole in 2020 having served his minimum 40 months sentence but last month was given an unprecedented two-day hearing.

It was set to be held in private after Venables argued it would harm his “mental health” if it was made public. But despite this, he shunned the hearing, which led to chiefs delaying the decision by two weeks to allow him “one last chance” to make a written submission in which he is reported to have said he was “completely rehabilitated”.

But yesterday the parole board announced their decision – deeming him unfit to be released.

Denise said: “When the parole board made concessions for him by making his hearing closed to protect his mental health or delaying it by two weeks to give him more time to make a statement I thought ‘here we go again, it’s going to go his way’. I had a sense of dread. People would be talking to me in the lead up and I’d struggle to take it in. My mind has been consumed with the parole board outcome. It means so much in our fight for justice for James.

“The not knowing has been agony. I started putting my Christmas decorations up weeks ago but they are still not finished. That shows how distracted I’ve been. I couldn’t get my head around it. My sleep has been affected too and has been at its worst this week. I was in and out of sleep and it has done me in to be honest.

“There is nothing I can do to bring James back. I started dozing off and my mind took over and feeling dread, the worst case scenario and reminding me that something was going to happen. It was horrendous. It was torture.”

But at 10.30am yesterday, Denise, who lives in Merseyside with husband Stuart, got the news she had been praying for.

Denise added: “When I took the call, I was just in shock when our liaison officer told me the news and then this wave of relief came. I’ve never felt this way. I couldn’t even think straight. I was like, ‘has this really happened’ or is it a dream. But it is real and thank god he didn’t get his way and I got mine.”

Stuart added: “I looked at her face, it wasn’t a smile but it was the relief that just flowed out. It was wonderful to see.” She added: “One thing that popped into my mind was that I would love to know was what his thoughts are and I hope he is feeling just a little bit of what I’ve been feeling for the last 30 years.”

The parole board also released a three-page summary of the panel’s decision.

It read: “After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and on licence, and the evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.

“It noted the risks as set out above, doubted Mr Venables’ ability to be open and honest with professionals, and concluded that there remained a need for him to address outstanding levels of risk, and to develop his relationship with his probation officer.”

It said the killer had completed a “considerable amount of work” in prison to address his offending but the panel remained “concerned by continuing issues of sexual preoccupation”.

Denise said: “I’m so happy that they said this. I have been convinced by this for years and know it is the case. It is reassuring to know that the parole board are convinced of the same too.”

The summary added: “The panel considered that there were future risks of Mr Venables again viewing indecent images of children/child sexual abuse images, and also of Mr Venables progressing to offences where he might have contact with children, and both of these present a risk of causing serious harm to others.

“It accordingly determined that there would be a risk to others at this time if Mr Venables were to be released.”

Denise added: “I’m also really pleased this was noted too. I really hope that the families of the kids in images, who were victims of his most recent offences, feel some justice too. It is true that he has not changed a bit and couldn’t be further away from being rehabilitated.

“I have known for a fact for 30 years, after he killed James, that we would end up with another victim like him at the hands of him. I couldn’t let that happen and I’m so pleased that the parole board aren’t allowing that.”

Venables now has 21 days to appeal the decision.

Denise added: “We are obviously aware that you can never say never but if the decision was overturned there would be outcry. The detail of his current state and how far he is from rehabilitation is so damning, it would be a disaster politically if he was released.”

Now Denise said she is looking forward to a Christmas together with the family safe in the knowledge that Venables’ chance appeal will not come around again for another two years – and, if new laws are passed, ever again.