Aussie dad’s desperate fight to keep his sister’s killers in jail
In September 1988, one teen’s nine chilling words lead to the brutal rape and murder of young woman. Now, he could be freed. WARNING: Distressing
WARNING: Distressing
Every day for the last 36 years, David Balding has thought of nothing but his sister.
He was just a little boy when his father told him the earth-shattering news that nobody – let alone a 10-year-old child – should ever have to hear.
In one short sentence, his happy childhood was ripped out from under him and his life changed forever.
“Your sister has been murdered...”
Janine Balding’s life was cruelly stolen from her in one of the most stomach-churning murders Australia has ever known.
Viciously gang raped and killed by a pack of youths as she made her way home from work, the 20-year-old bank teller’s murder shocked the nation.
The dark details of the last day of her life have haunted David for decades, but there is one thing that has kept him from spiralling: the knowledge that those he knew to be the monsters who took his sister’s life are behind bars.
But now, that could all change.
Earlier this month, lawyer and former politician Peter Breen pushed for an inquiry into one of Janine’s rapists and killers, Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson.
The now 58-year-old was convicted in 1990 for the crime, with the judge declaring that he, along with the others directly involved, should “never be released” from prison.
But at a recent hearing in Sydney’s Supreme Court, Justice Ian Harrison said that Jamieson, via his lawyer and longtime supporter Peter Breen, had sought a suite of orders in proceedings against the state Attorney-General.
Mr Breen told the Court that another man nicknamed ‘Shorty’ was known in the area at the time and wore a bandana similar to the one found at the crime scene.
It is understood that Mr Breen is arguing DNA testing from this bandana might cast doubt over his client’s convictions.
The Attorney-General’s written submissions are due May 8 in response to Jamieson’s application for an inquiry. The parties will return to court on May 13.
“Angry and upset”
These recent actions have been devastating for David, who told news.com.au that he is shattered that these claims are being brought up again after all these years.
“This is hard to deal with again and again, but someone has to be a voice for Janine and that person is me,” he said.
“I am angry about it and also upset.”
“The sentencing Judge said life recommended, never to be released, and that is exactly how it should be.”
David said he believed they have the right people locked up in jail “where they should be”.
“As far as I’m concerned, the bandana claim is irrelevant,” he said.
“The first trial was aborted to deal with this wrong ‘Shorty’ claim which was then investigated by the police.
“There is absolutely no evidence that this other ‘Shorty’ Wells was there. Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson was identified by multiply witnesses, and apart from being short, they look nothing alike.
“The woman who was there, Carol Arrow, has also stated that the right person is in jail.
“They have the right offenders and this has to end.”
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Man with “psychopathic traits” to be freed
Wayne Wilmot was also present on the night Janine was raped and murdered, however was given a lighter sentence, as he did not physically participate in the crime.
The 51-year-old is housed at Long Bay Correctional 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.
He was incarcerated when he was 15 and has spent more than three decades behind bars, except for a 20-month stint in the late 1990s during which he committed multiple violent assault and sexual offences against women
The state successfully fought in 2019 and again in 2023 to keep Wilmot locked up under continuing detention orders.
However, it is understood that he will now be released in just a matter of weeks.
Wilmot will initially be under an interim supervision order involving strict conditions, including electronic monitoring, after a decision made by NSW Supreme Court Justice Helen Wilson.
He was deemed by the judge to have “psychopathic personality traits, with no concern or empathy for others and continued to deny or minimise his disturbing history of sexual offences”, in a November 2023 assessment report conducted by a psychologist from the high-risk offender’s team.
The exact date of his release and the location of his accommodation cannot be released due to an order of the court
“I have had to live most of my life seeing these so-called boys, not that much older than me, do something like this,” David continued.
“And then show so little respect or remorse, only when they think they should be let out of jail.
“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.”
“Why don’t we get a sheila and rape her?”
Those nine chilling words set the wheels in motion for one of Australia’s worst crimes.
The last night of Janine’s life is truly a twisted tale of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
On the morning of September 8, 1988, she had parked her car at Sydney’s Sutherland train station, before heading into the city for work.
That evening at around 6pm, Janine 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.
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 five 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.
“I think it’s a nice night for a murder...”
These words 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 they drowned her.
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.
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 Balding’s body was.
At the time, Janine’s parents Beverley and Kerry 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
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.
“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.
“Never be forgiven”
For the rest of Australia, the name Janine Balding conjures up images of one of the most depraved crimes in our history.
But for David, she was simply his kind, loving and fun older sister, who he adored with all his heart.
“Janine was a caring, loving, older sister,” the father smiled.
“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 recalled.
“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.
“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.”
In October 2013, shortly after what would have been Janine’s 46th birthday, Beverley died after a short stay in hospital.
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In March 2022, Janine’s father, Kerry, was reported to have passed away peacefully in hospital.
The pair are buried next to their daughter in Wagga Wagga Lawn Cemetery.
jasmine.kazlauskas@news.com.au
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