In my anger I blamed my wife admits father of murdered toddler James Bulger

  • Father Ralph Bulger has published a new book to mark the 20th anniversary
  • His son, 2, was tortured and murdered by two 10-year-olds in 1993
  • He feels 'ashamed' for holding ex-wife Denise responsible for the fateful day

The father of murdered toddler James Bulger has revealed that he blamed his ex-wife in the immediate aftermath of their son’s death. 

Ralph Bulger, 46, says he now feels ‘ashamed’ of holding Denise, 45, responsible for the fateful day in 1993 when James was led away from a shopping centre by two ten-year-old boys who committed a crime that shocked the nation.

In extracts from his new book, My James, published in The Mail on Sunday’s Review section today to mark the 20th anniversary of his son’s death, Mr Bulger says: ‘There would be times when – quite unfairly – I blamed Denise.

Denise
Ralph Bulger

Held her responsible: Ralph Bulger (right) has revealed that he blamed his ex-wife Denise (left) in the immediate aftermath of their son's death and says he feels 'ashamed' of doing so

‘I was wrong. Very, very wrong. It was just part of my raging grief.

'I wanted to scream: “Why did you let go of his hand? Why did you let him out of your sight? He would still be here if it wasn’t for you.” ’

James Bulger

Picture of innocence: James Bulger was murdered in 1993 when he was led away from a shopping centre by two ten-year-old boys

He adds: ‘I am deeply ashamed of blaming Denise.

'She loved James with her heart and soul, and what happened that day was not her fault.’

On February 12, 1993, James vanished during a trip with his mother – who divorced Ralph in 1995 – to the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool.

CCTV images show James being led away by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. 

Mr Bulger writes of the terrible torture James endured at their hands.

'His son’s dismembered body was found on railway tracks two days later. 

Venables and Thompson became the youngest convicted murderers in modern British history.

Mr Bulger say they never ‘showed an ounce of compassion’, writing: ‘It may over-simplify the arguments, but that to my mind makes them evil beyond belief.’

CCTV

The youngest convicted murderers: CCTV footage shows the toddler holding the hand of Jon Venables, one of the boys who was convicted of his murder

Jon Venables
Robert Thompson

Crime that shocked the nation: Mr Bulger has written in his new book of the terrible torture James endured at the hands of 10-year-olds Jon Venables (left) and Robert Thompson (right)