Brother of Janine Balding speaks on the anniversary of her death

Janine Balding was brutally murdered in a crime that shocked Australia. Now her brother has spoken about her death. Warning: Graphic

Warning: Graphic

“Your sister has been murdered ...”

Upon hearing those five words, David Balding knew his childhood would never be the same.

At just 10 years old, he was thrust into a living nightmare that nobody should ever have to face.

For the rest of Australia, the name Janine Balding conjures up images of one of the most depraved and stomach-turning crimes that our country has ever known.

But for David, she was simply his kind, loving and fun older sister, who he adored with all his heart.

Friday, the 8th of September, marked 35 years since the brutal rape and murder of Janine, who would have turned 56 if she were still alive today.

On the anniversary of her death, David spoke to news.com.au about who his sister really was, beyond the newspaper headlines and true crime shows.

Janine was just 20 years old when she was raped and murdered in 1988. Picture: Supplied

“Janine was a caring, loving, older sister,” the 45-year-old father recalled.

“She lived in Sydney, which is a five-hour drive from our hometown of Wagga Wagga. So at that time, I only saw her a few times a year.

“But she always, always had time for me.

“When I’d visit her, I would make her breakfast and take it into her bed to wake her up. It would have been rather early, but she never complained once.”

On the day of his sister’s murder, David knew that “something wasn’t right”.

“Dad picked me up from school, which was very unusual,” he said.

“He just said Janine was missing, which being 10 I didn’t really understand what that meant.

“There was a phone call early the next morning, and mum was crying and crying, and making phone call after phone call.

“I sat there not really knowing what was going on, but just that Janine was gone.”

After his sister’s murder, he recalled seeing her killers in the courtroom.

“I was there for the sentencing, I just remember seeing these three people who didn’t really give a stuff about what they had done,” he said.

David, now a married father-of-two, was just 10 years old when his sister was murdered. Picture: Supplied to News.com.au

“I became more involved as I got older, with the seemingly endless appeals and just helping mum with that and being there when needed.

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

Their parents, Beverley and Kerry, passed away in October 2013 and March 2022 respectively, and are buried next to their daughter in Wagga Wagga.

Every year, on the anniversary of her death, David visits her grave with his family.

As a married father of two beautiful children, he says he cannot deny that the experience of losing his sister in such a way has likely made him more wary than most.

David, pictured here with his father outside court, recalled something feeling “off” the day his sister was killed. Picture: AFP

“I am probably very cautious with knowing where the kids are and what they are doing,” he said.

“But they are only now getting to an age where they do things without parents.

“I wouldn’t say I am worried as such, but I do know there is an element of bad people being around and I impress that on them.

“I have told them what happened to Janine, but not in great detail.”

‘Why don’t we get a sheila and rape her?’

That chilling phrase uttered from the mouth of 14-year-old boy would set the wheels in motion for what would be the last night of Janine Balding’s life.

On the morning of September 8, 1988, the 20-year-old bank teller parked her car at Sydney’s Sutherland train station, before heading into the city for work.

That evening at around 6pm, she was walking to her car when she was approached by a group of dishevelled homeless teenagers, who – unknown to her – had the very worst of intentions.

After distracting Janine by asking her for the time, and whether she had any money or cigarettes, one of the youths pulled out a knife.

Janine was a “caring and loving” sister and daughter. Picture: Supplied

The teenager warned Janine that he would “cut her face” if she did not do exactly as he asked, and then snatched the woman’s car keys from her hands.

The pack – which included four males; Matthew Elliot, 16, Bronson Blessington, 14, Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson, 22, Wayne Wilmot, 15, and one female; Carol Arrow, 15 – then forced Janine into the back seat of her own vehicle, before speeding off.

They drove the hijacked car for nearly an hour out west to Minchinbury, with each minute being described as “hell on earth” for Janine, as she was beaten and raped at knifepoint.

Any hope the young woman had of being set free from the brutal torture being inflicted upon her was horrifically quashed after one of the youths declared a sickening plan.

Janine was engaged to Steven Moran. Picture: Supplied.

‘I think it’s a nice night for a murder’

Those were the words that sealed Janine’s fate, and at this point, she knew her life was going to end.

Driving down the M4, the group pulled over into an emergency stopping lane beside some deserted land.

Dragging the terrified woman out of the car, the pack gagged Janine with a scarf and hogtied her, before pulling her along the ground and throwing her over a fence.

Elliot, Blessington, and Jamieson carried her to a nearby dam, where she drowned.

After she was dead, the gang stole Janine’s jewellery from her body, and took her bank cards and PIN number, which she had written down on a piece of paper in her wallet.

A memorial now sits where Janine was abducted, at Sutherland Railway Station, New South Wales. Picture: Monument Australia

From missing to murdered

Leaving her body there, the group got back into Janine’s car, but the vehicle broke down shortly after their journey began.

Making their way to Mount Druitt by foot, they sold the jewellery and withdrew some cash using her bank cards.

Hopping on a train back to Sydney CBD, the group split up – with Blessington and Elliot regaling the details of their crimes to another street kid, before going to Hyde Park to sleep.

The next day, the pair took a train to East Gosford, where they threw Janine’s bank cards into the bushes, before stealing another car and driving to a youth centre.

The two decided to confess to the police about the car theft, and hinted at knowing where Janine’s body was.

At the time, Janine’s parents had reported her disappearance and she was classed as a missing person – but police were now facing a far more sinister reality.

The criminals eventually led detectives to the dam where Janine was killed, and the three other assailants were also arrested.

Beverley and David have fought to keep Janine’s killers in jail. Picture: Supplied

Never to be released

All five of the group members were charged over the murder of Janine Balding and each faced court.

Matthew Elliott, Bronson Blessington and Stephen Jamieson were each given life sentences plus 25 years.

Blessington, being just 14 at the time, made history as the youngest person in Australia to have ever received a life sentence.

The judge in the case called their crimes “barbaric” and recommended that Elliot, Blessington and Jamieson should “never be released”.

“To sentence people so young to a long term of imprisonment is of course a heavy task” he said during the trial.

David says the loss of his sister has likely made him a more vigilant parent. Picture: Supplied to news.com.au

“However, the facts surrounding the commission of these crimes are so barbaric that I believe I have no alternative other than to impose upon [these] young prisoners, even despite their age, a life sentence.

“So grave is the nature of this case that I recommend that none of the prisoners in the matter should ever be released.”

Lighter sentences were given to Wayne Wilmot and Carol Arrow, as they did not physically participate in the murder of Janine.

Wilmot served seven-and-a-half years in jail, while Carol Arrow spent 19 months in custody, and was subjected to a three-year good behaviour bond.

Where are they now?

Stephen Jamieson, now 57, is currently housed in Goulburn Correctional Centre in maximum security.

Bronson Blessington, now 49, is currently housed in South Coast Correctional Centre in maximum security.

Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson was 22 when he helped in the slaying. Picture: Supplied

Bronson Blessington was just 14 when he took part in the murder of Janine. Picture: Supplied

Matthew Elliott, now 51, is currently housed in Long Bay Correctional Complex in maximum security.

Wayne Wilmot, now 50, is also housed at Long Bay Correction Complex in maximum security, as he was deemed a “serial sex offender” and served sentences for sexual assault and kidnap, unrelated to Janine Balding’s case.

Matthew Elliot was 16 at the time of Janine's killing. Picture: Supplied

Wayne Wilmot has been deemed a ‘serial sexual predator’. Picture: Supplied

The whereabouts of Carol Ann Arrow, now 49, are unknown.

Carol Ann Arrow was not jailed. Picture: Supplied

‘They should die in jail’

David, along with his parents, have been instrumental in campaigning for his sister’s killers to remain in jail.

One of her killers, Wayne Wilmot, was up for parole, but slapped with a 12-month continuing detention order in April this year.

This occurred after the state government successfully sought intervention from the NSW Supreme Court to keep him locked up beyond the expiry of his most recent prison sentence.

He will have his parole reviewed again in April 2024.

“I have had to live this most of my life seeing these so-called boys, not that much older than me, do something like this,” David told news.com.au.

“And then show so little respect or remorse, only when they think they should be let out of jail.

“Their sentence was marked ‘recommended to never be released’ and that is what should happen.

“Mum had to go through this over and over again with them every few years trying to get out of jail, and people making up excuses for them using their age.

“But they are guilty and jail is where they should die.”

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Originally published as Brother of Janine Balding speaks on the anniversary of her death