David’s sister was murdered after she was gang-raped in a despicable crime that shocked Australia. This is his desperate plea to keep the men responsible in jail

WARNING TERRIBLE CONTENT

Every day for the past 36 years, David Balding’s life has been consumed by the death of his 20-year-old sister.

He was only ten years old when his father said to him: ‘Your sister has been murdered…’

Janine Balding was kidnapped from the Southerland train station car park in Sydney’s south by a group of homeless youths in 1988 while she was on her way home from work.

For the rest of his life, Mr. Balding found comfort in knowing her killers is behind bars, bbut now that could all change.

Earlier this month, lawyer and former politician Peter Breen called for an investigation into Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson, who was convicted of raping and murdering Ms Balding in 1990.

The judge stated that he, along with the others directly involved, ‘should never be released’, but Jamieson applied for a series of orders in proceedings against the Attorney General at a recent hearing in the Sydney High Court.

His long-time supporter, Mr Breen, told the court that another man nicknamed ‘Shorty’ was known in the area at the time and was wearing a bandana similar to the one found at the crime scene.

It is understood that Mr Breen is claiming that DNA testing with this bandana could cast doubt on his client’s convictions.

The attorney general’s written submissions are due May 8 in response to Jamieson’s request for an investigation.

The case will return to court on May 13.

Mr Balding is upset and angry that these claims are being brought up again after all these years.

“This is hard to deal with over and over again, but someone has to be a voice for Janine and that person is me,” he told news.com.au.

“The judge said life was recommended, never to be released, and that’s exactly how it should be.”

Mr Balding believes the bandana claim is irrelevant and says several witnesses agreed Jamieson was the right person.

Wayne Wilmot, 51, who was present that evening but did not physically participate in the crime, received a lighter sentence.

The ‘serious sex offender’ is housed in maximum security at the Long Bay Correctional Complex and is serving prison terms for sexual assault and kidnapping, which are not related to Ms Balding’s case.

He spent 30 years behind bars, with the exception of 20 months in the late 1990s, during which he committed multiple violent attacks and sex crimes against women.

Wilmot remained in custody on continuing detention orders, but he will be released within weeks under an interim supervision order issued by NSW Supreme Court Judge Helen Wilson.

The judge found he had ‘psychopathic personality traits, lacking concern or empathy for others and continued to deny or downplay his disturbing history of sexual offending’, according to an assessment report by a psychologist from the high-risk offender’s team. November 2023

The exact date of his release and the location of his accommodation cannot be released by court order.

Mr Balding went on to explain how difficult it was to see these ‘so-called boys’ trying to get out of prison, saying this is where they should die.

“Why don’t we get a Sheila and rape her?” are the chilling nine words spoken the night Mrs. Balding was murdered.

On the morning of September 8, 1988, she parked her car at Sydney’s Sutherland train station before heading into the city for work.

She was walking back to her car that evening when a pack – Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson, 22, Matthew Elliot, 16, Wayne Wilmot, 15, Bronson Blessington, 14 and Carol Arrow, 15 – approached her with the worst intentions.

They distracted Mrs. Balding by asking her what time it was and if she had any money or cigarettes. One of the youths pulled out a knife and threatened to “cut off her face” if she didn’t do exactly what he asked.

After having the car keys ripped from her hands, she was forced into the back of her own car, where she was beaten and raped at knifepoint in the back of her hijacked vehicle.

Any hope the young woman had of being released was dashed after one of the youths said, “I think it’s a good night for a murder…”

The group stopped on the M4.

Dragging the terrified woman from the car, the pack gagged Janine with a scarf and tied her up before pulling her along the ground and throwing her over a fence.

Elliot, Blessington and Jamieson carried her to a nearby dam, where they drowned her and stole her jewelry and bank cards.

The pack left Mrs. Balding’s body there and got back into her car, which broke down shortly afterwards.

After heading to Mount Druitt on foot, they sold the jewelry and withdrew some money using her bank cards before boarding a train back to the city.

The next day, Blessington and Elliot took a train to East Gosford, where they threw her bank cards into the bushes before stealing another car and driving to a youth centre.

Then her confessed to the police about the car theft and hinted that he knew where Mrs Balding’s body was.

Mrs Balding’s parents, Beverley and Kerry, reported her missing.

All five group members were charged and brought to trial for the murder of Janine Balding.

Elliott, Blessington and Jamieson each received life plus 25 years.

Blessington, who was just 14 at the time, became the youngest person ever to receive a life sentence in Australia.

The judge in the case called their crimes “barbaric” and said they “should never be released.”

Lighter sentences were given to Wilmot and Arrow after it emerged that they had not physically participated in the murder.

Looking back, Mr Balding said his sister was kind, loving and fun and always had time for him, even though she lived in Sydney.

He said he knew “something was wrong” the day she was killed, even though he didn’t fully understand what was going on at the time.

He remembered seeing his mother “crying and crying” and knowing that “Janine was gone.”

Balding recalled seeing her killers in court after his sister was killed.

He said he still remembers how they “didn’t really care” about what they had done and how he helped his mother with the seemingly endless calls as he got older.

“It was important that Janine was and is always represented and continues to have a voice in this, to let people know that she is not forgotten and that her killers will never be forgiven,” he said.

In October 2013, Beverley died after a short stay in hospital.

In March 2022, Kerry also died in hospital.

The couple are buried next to their daughter at Wagga Wagga Lawn Cemetery.

For assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.