‘Keep her killers locked up’: Janine Balding brother’s fight for justice

David Balding says the community has every right to be worried that a remorseless criminal, who has been assessed as a significant risk of carrying out further ­attacks on women, is set to be freed.

David Balding (left), his sister Janine (top right), and Wayne Wilmot.

David Balding knew the day would come when one of the ­predators who abducted and ­attacked his older sister Janine and abused a string of other women would be released from jail, but it didn’t stop the creeping anger and frustration he was feeling on Tuesday.

“I’m fully aware that they can’t contain him forever, so I was ­anticipating this … but it’s not easy,’’ Mr Balding said from his Wagga Wagga business.

“What they put Janine through, they should never, ever, be out of jail as far as I am concerned.”

He said the community had every right to be worried that Wayne Wilmot, a remorseless criminal with psychopathic traits who has been assessed as a significant risk of carrying out further ­attacks on women, is set to be freed under tight supervision and electronic monitoring.

Mr Balding said his mother Beverley, who fought for justice for Janine and campaigned for the death penalty for her attackers, would be angered by the development. “This took a toll on her life and cut it short for sure.’’

His mother died in 2013 and his father Kerry passed away in 2022. Since then David has continued to advocate for his sister’s memory and speak up whenever the four men jailed over her murder make bids for release or leniency.

“Someone had to take over when we lost Mum and that was always going to be me. Janine doesn’t have a voice in this so someone has to speak for her.’’

Wilmot, aged in his early 50s, has spent almost his entire adult life in prison and has been resistant to rehabilitation, with a court hearing he displays little insight or remorse and believes women wearing certain clothing, or who’ve had too much to drink, ­deserve sexual violence.

“As far as I know he hasn’t been able to pass any sexual offenders’ courses and doesn’t show any ­remorse for anything,’’ Mr Balding said.

News that Wilmot will be supported in his release by an NDIS package comprising 24 hours a week of assistance with his economic and community participation, along with access to behaviour and health support, drew a blunt response: “I reckon it could be better spent somewhere else,’’ Mr Balding said.

Wilmot was aged just 15 in September 1988 when he was part of a gang of five who abducted 20-year-old Janine, a bank teller who was snatched at knifepoint near a train station in Sydney’s south. One of her attackers was overheard saying “why don’t we get a sheila and rape her”.

Janine was gang raped, gagged and hogtied and driven to a lake where she was drowned in one of the nation’s most disturbing crimes.

David Balding. Picture: Brad Newman

Matthew Elliot, 16, Bronson Blessington, 14, and Stephen “Shorty” Jamieson, 22, were given life sentences for their direct ­involvement in the killing. A 15-year-old girl, Carol Arrow, who had an intellectual disability, ­received a good behaviour bond.

The prosecution did not allege that Wilmot took part in the murder, and he was jailed for nine years and four months over the rape and abduction. (It was not contended he had raped her but he was convicted due to his participation in the crime).

He was released on parole in late 1996 and during his 20 months of freedom attacked four women, including a young railway worker who he bound and raped soon after she arrived at work one morning.

A court heard she had suffered ongoing trauma from the attack, her life forever changed.

Mr Balding said his parents had met Wilmot’s other victims, had seen the irreparable harm he had caused women and their families.

“He was only out for 20 months and he did more damage … so that tells you what kind of person we’re dealing with here. I would be very surprised if he didn’t reoffend,’’ Mr Balding said.

Wilmot was jailed in 1998 for his 20-month crime spree and since the expiry of his sentences in 2019 has twice been subject to continuing detention orders.

When the case returned to the courts last week the state of NSW applied for an interim extended supervision order, which was granted.

This means he can be freed from custody when his current ­detention order expires, subject to a long list of restrictions over his movements, activities and ­internet use.

Meanwhile, supporters of ­Jamieson, now 58, the ringleader of the gang that attacked Balding, are seeking a new inquiry into his conviction, pinning their hope on DNA evidence.

Mr Balding, who was aged only 10 when his sister was killed, said the case was never ending. He lived through it in childhood and now, as a father of two he still can’t escape it.

“We’ve got the right people … there’s no new evidence. It’s all been looked at before,’’ he said.