The father of James Bulger has told a parole board about the "daily nightmare" of life since his son's murder.
Ralph Bulger was given the opportunity to make a Victim Personal Statement, through his solicitor, to the parole board of Jon Venables, one of two boys convicted of killing the two-year-old.
Speaking outside Liverpool Crown Court, solicitor Robin Makin said: "It's a daily nightmare for all of them. It still is. Things have not really got better."
Mr Makin said his client, who stood next to him outside the court, had been forced to re-live the details of the murder, including the torture and sexual abuse which James suffered at the hands of his killers. "Ralph had to deal with that situation. It's a very stressful day for Ralph," said Mr Makin.
He added that Mr Bulger had suffered depression, sleep loss, nightmares and post-traumatic stress. Mr Makin said it had been an "extremely difficult situation" and said the authorities had "done nothing" to help, and the murder had "transformed" Mr Bulger.
Venables and Robert Thompson were 10 when they abducted James from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993. The pair walked the toddler several miles to a railway line in Walton, where they tortured and killed him. They were convicted of murder and served eight years in prison before being freed and issued with secret new identities. But Venables was jailed for two years last July after pleading guilty to downloading and distributing indecent images of children.
Delivering the Victim Personal Statement via video-link from Liverpool Crown Court to Leeds Crown Court, where the parole board is sitting, Mr Makin said "authorities" had shown an "inability to cope" with putting a criminal like Venables back into society in an area adjacent to Merseyside.
Venables' former solicitor Laurence Lee expressed sympathy for Mr Bulger. He said: "I agree with whatever he says really. I think the trauma must be horrific. I have always said in every single interview that my heart goes out to the Bulger family, irrespective of the fact I've represented him (Venables).
"There's nothing worse than losing a child. I have no sympathy whatsoever with Jon Venables. I can well understand that they would want the key thrown away. It's like a festering wound for the Bulger family. I just hope one day that they'll be able to find closure."
The parole board now has 10 days to consider its decision.
