James Bulger’s mother Denise Fergus is to become a grandmother for the first time

James Bulger’s mother Denise Fergus shares her joy as it’s revealed she is to become a grandmother for the first time

  • Denise Fergus has announced her son Mickey, 26, is expecting a baby 
  • Denise was pregnant with Mickey during the trial of James’s killers in 1993
  • She split up with Ralph Bulger shortly after his birth and remarried Stuart Fergus 

The mother of murdered James Bulger is to become a grandmother for the first time.

Denise Fergus, 52, made the announcement on Twitter on Monday as she shared a photo of a baby vest bearing the message ‘Baby Fergus’.

She and husband Stuart congratulated her son Mickey, 26, and his partner Leanne McPadden, as they shared the good news.

Denise Fergus, 52, is to become a grandmother for the first time, announcing her son Mickey, 26, is expecting a baby

Denise was married to Ralph Bulger at the time of two-year-old James’s murder on February 12, 1993. 

She was pregnant with Mickey when Robert Thompson and John Venables were on trial for James’s killing. 

Mickey was less than a year old when his parents’ marriage broke down, and a year later Denise met electrician Stuart Fergus who she went on to marry in 1998.

Sharing their news on Monday, Denise told her followers: ‘My first grandchild is on its way. I couldn’t be happier.’

Husband Stuart added: ‘So proud to say Denise and I are going to be grandparents for the first time.’

Denise shared a photo of the baby scans as well as a vest bearing the message: 'Coming soon, baby Fergus, due in 2020'

Denise shared a photo of the baby scans as well as a vest bearing the message: ‘Coming soon, baby Fergus, due in 2020’

Denise and Stuart have two more sons together, Thomas, 21, and Leon, 20. 

Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, who abducted James from a shopping precinct in Bootle were released on life licence in 2001 after serving eight years for the murder which shook the nation.

James’s body was found on railway tracks in Walton, Merseyside, two days after his disappearance — on Valentine’s Day. He’d been tortured and beaten with bricks and iron bars. He died from head injuries.

James Bulger was murdered in 1993 after he was abducted from a shopping precinct by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables

James Bulger was murdered in 1993 after he was abducted from a shopping precinct by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables

His killers were given new identities at the taxpayers’ expense after their trial but Venables subsequently re-offended. 

In July 2010, he was sent to an adult prison after admitting downloading and distributing indecent images of children. 

He was sent back to prison in 2018 after having downloaded more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his computer and a paedophile manual.

He was jailed in February 2018 for 40 months after admitting the charges, and became eligible for release in October last year but has not yet been freed.

CCTV image shows the moment two-year-old James Bulger was abducted from the Bootle Strand shopping mall in 1993 by Venables, who is seen holding his hand. He and Robert Thompson took the boy before torturing and killing him

CCTV image shows the moment two-year-old James Bulger was abducted from the Bootle Strand shopping mall in 1993 by Venables, who is seen holding his hand. He and Robert Thompson took the boy before torturing and killing him