Balin Stewart: Teenage killer of Sunshine Coast boy sentenced for manslaughter to seven years’ detention in Brisbane

“I will never forgive you,” a heartbroken Michael Stewart has told the teen killer of his 16-year-old son.

The teen will spend three years and six months in custody after a Brisbane judge handed down his sentence on Friday.

Mr Stewart spoke in court about the impact of son Balin’s death during the criminal trial for a now 19-year-old convicted of manslaughter.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 17 when the brawl with Balin took place outside the Stewarts’ home on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast last January.

There was a significant history of animosity in the teenager towards Balin, who died of a single stab wound to the heart from a 12-centimeter-bladed steak knife.

A Supreme Court jury acquitted the teenager of murder in June but found him guilty of manslaughter, a charge he had offered to plead guilty to but was dismissed by prosecutors before trial.

Crown Prosecutor Rebecca Marks argued on Friday that the teenager acted with intent to cause at least grievous bodily harm when he armed himself and drove the three miles to Balin’s home.

He took the knife out of jealousy after being provoked by videos his ex-girlfriend sent of her with Balin, Ms Marks said.

“He was aggressive and hostile from the moment he got to the house.”

The 16-year-old’s parents (pictured, father Michael Stewart on the left and mother Kerri-Lynn Stewart on the right) said they will ‘never forgive’ the teen killer

Attorney Charlotte Smith said her client expressed shock and remorse immediately after the stabbing and later offered to plead guilty to manslaughter.

He claimed at trial that he took the gun out of fear after being told that Balin had a knife.

The teen told the court on Friday that he was genuinely sorry for all the pain he had caused.

But Balin’s father said the 19-year-old took so much from many people because he was jealous and weak when picking up a knife that night.

“All these lives were shattered and broken that night in the blink of an eye,” Stewart told the court.

The teenager had stolen Mr Stewart’s ability to sleep peacefully when he woke up daily to illuminate the night of his son’s stabbing – who would have turned 18 next week.

“I’m not at peace anymore.”

Death had destroyed Balin’s mother Kerri-Lynn, who had been a mainstay of the family.

The teen killer, now 19, has been charged with the death of Balin (pictured, center) after being provoked by videos of the victim with the killer’s ex-girlfriend

Balin would have turned 18 next week as his father told the court: ‘I have no more peace’ (pictured, the Stewart family)

“Now she’s just a shell of her former self, unrecognizable,” Mr Stewart said.

Stewart said it was unbearable to see autopsy photos of Balin’s bruised and battered body during the trial and to see the teen’s “cold, unfeeling and calculating” responses to questions.

“You could pretend to be sorry, you could pretend to repent, you could struggle with what you did, but nothing will bring my son home.

“You robbed us all. I will never forgive you. Never.’

The court heard that the teen, who has no previous convictions, was traumatized when he found the body of his mother who had committed suicide as a nine-year-old.

Judge Elizabeth Wilson said she convicted the teen of intent to inflict at least serious bodily harm, but acted under provocation.

She imposed a seven-year sentence and ordered that he serve half of that term behind bars.

The teenager who has been in custody for 90 days since the stabbing was sentenced under the Youth Justices Act.