It certainly doesn’t seem credible that they’re out of prison this soon.

Nevertheless,they were still children.
You say,quite rightly,that we protect the weak and vulnerable.I can’t quite put into words the point I want to make without sounding as rhough I’m making some sort of excuse for what they did,which I absolutely am not.
If this murder had been carried out by an adult,it would have been horrific enough,but it was done by two people who were still children themselves.Whether you want to describe them as ” these two creatures ” or worse, they were CHILDREN.
How can they possibly be judged for their actions as though they were on equal terms with adults ?

All right then : should a person have to make amends for their entire lifespan for an act they committed as a ten year old child ?

Well I’ll spell it out,though you obviously know the difference well enough.
Execution is a reasoned process carried out after due deliberation and consideration of whether the act is justified.
Those boys did not execute Jamie Bulger,they murdered him,plain and simple,for their own amusement,gratification or whatever reason a normal,rational adult couldn’t begin to comprehend.
It’s difficult enough to understand why an adult would murder anyone,let alone a child of ten.
And just to make it crystal clear,I’m not making excuses for what they did.

They didn’t execute him kev,they murdered him in a most sickening manner,and I’m absolutely not making any excuse for that,it was evil beyond belief.If I remember rightly,Venables was described at the time of the trial as being the more evil of the two.
But surely you can’t treat a ten year old as being as morally responsible as an adult ?

I’m not in any way trying to excuse what they did,but you have to remember that when they murdered that poor little boy they were ten year old children.
Do people honestly think that it’s right to execute a child ?
Moggy,I take your point that the parents should have been in some way accountable,but in practice it’s pretty hard to make sure that your child lives up to the way you want them to behave.

This thread is the most depressing item I’ve read in the year since I discovered the forum.
I’ve always felt at ease with people who ” like aeroplanes ” ( especially flying-boats,God bless ’em ), but I’m totally at odds with most of the opinions expressed here.Poster after poster has lined up to say let her die,she’s too stupid to live,she had her chance and shouldn’t get another one,etc.etc.
Firstly : She’s not in competition with another,more ” deserving ” person,for a donated liver. She only has the offer of her father’s liver,which wouldn’t have been on offer to anyone else.
Secondly : She’s only twenty-four. All right,she’s an adult and grown-up enough to have had two children,but she’s still very young,and if I can remember from that long ago,when you’re in your twenties you tend to think you’ll live forever ( now I’m 62 I’m not so sure ).
Thirdly : If you’re considering this simply as a question of right and wrong,then I do agree with the view that she’s ” wrong “. She had the most wonderful opportunity given to her,and whether through ignorance,arrogance or whatever you want to call it,she wasted it.So yes,in black and white terms,she’s wrong.But this isn’t just a moral question,it’s a person’s LIFE.
I keep saying this over and over – we all make mistakes.Maybe I wouldn’t be saying this if I were younger,but to me there’s no question , she definitely deserves another chance.
And Gary – what if you couldn’t afford to pay for your daughter’s treatment ?

Well,I’m so depressed now that I’ll just have to eat a whole bar of bubbly peppermint chocolate.

Thanks Paul, no problem. As an aside,can I assume that everyone who’s made their views known so plainly has registered themselves on the NHS organ donors’ list as I’ve done ?