CONVICTED child killer Austin Allan Hughes was refused bail when he appeared in Port Macquarie Local Court on Monday.
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Hughes, who now goes by the name of Blain Lopez Smith, was arrested in Kempsey on Friday for breaches to his parole conditions.
He failed to appear in Port Macquarie Court by video link. No reason was given for his failure to appear.
Smith, 38, of South West Rocks, is charged with breaching the Child Protection Act.
It is alleged he was living with a woman and her two daughters at Kempsey.
Magistrate Thomas Hodgson ordered Smith remain in custody and refused a request by his defence to keep private his alias.
No plea was entered.
Smith was released from prison in December 2009 after serving 16 years for the killing of six-year-old John Ashfield.
The little boy was tortured and bashed to death with a hammer at Nowra in 1993.
The boy's mother, Gunn-Britt Ashfield, also was convicted over his death and was released in August last year.
In court, Mr Hodgson said there was a need to protect the community.
“There's children involved and bail is not appropriate," Mr Hodgson said.
The matter was adjourned until March 8, when a plea will be entered.
Smith has not formally changed his name from Austin Allan Hughes.
He is being held at the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre.
"He admits he stayed the night [in Kempsey] but strongly denies he's lived there since October," his defence lawyer Mark Collett said in support of a request for bail.
"He attends on a boyfriend-girlfriend sort of arrangement."
Neither Smith's partner, nor any relatives or friends, were in court.
Police opposed bail.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Jamie Palmer told the court there was evidence the defendant accompanied, alone, one of his partner's children at Kempsey Airport.
"We will be looking at the length of time he has been in that relationship," Sgt Palmer said.
