Janine Balding: New twist in baffling cold case mystery after woman, 20, was raped, murdered and abducted

A horrific kidnapping and murder case from the 1980s has taken another turn as a lawyer and former politician questioned new evidence.

Former MP Peter Breen has pushed for an investigation into the convictions of Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Janine Balding in Sydney in September 1988.

But his brother David Balding told A Current Affair on Thursday night that “it should all end now.” There’s no doubt they got the right people.’

His life had been consumed by the death of his 20-year-old sister when he was 10 years old.

“It’s pretty much been my life since then… it just doesn’t end,” he said. “Still appears”.

Jamieson was 22 at the time of Ms Balding’s murder, and two other convicted homeless men were aged 14 and 16 at the time.

Breen, who is Jamieson’s lawyer, said another man nicknamed “Shorty” was known in the area at the time.

This second ‘Shorty’ was wearing a scarf, and Mr Breen is hopeful that DNA tests carried out on a scarf will cast doubt on his client’s convictions.

Former Chief Inspector Russell Oxford said he engaged with the Balding family in a case that was particularly horrific.

“I promised the family that someone would continue to defend Janine,” he said.

Oxford maintains that the issue of mistaken identity has been examined and dismissed by multiple courts and investigations.

“The scrutiny that this investigation was put under… we went through two murder trials, we went through the Court of Criminal Appeal, they appealed to the High Court,” he said.

‘We have the murderers. “They are in prison for the rest of their lives and that is where they belong, that is where they should stay.”

State Attorney General Michael Daley has until May 8 to make written submissions in response to Mr Breen and Jamieson’s request for an investigation.

The matter is expected to return to the NSW Supreme Court on May 13.