Convicted paedophile Christopher Eakin released after breaching child protection orders in Narromine

In February, Christopher Eakin, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of a breaching child protection prohibition order after he was caught hanging around the Narromine Aquatic Centre during the school holidays in January.

In Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday Magistrate Theresa Hamilton convicted Eakin and placed him on a community corrections order for 15 months, under supervision, and ordered him to complete 100 hours of community service work.

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Eakin, who was convicted of possessing child abuse material, was released from prison on December 15, 2020. He was placed on a final child protection prohibition order, where he was required not to loiter or remain near a premises frequented by children or attend or be in the vicinity of any public swimming pool.

On January 19, Eakin drove himself and two friends to Rotary Park in Narromine and spent 25 minutes in the northeast corner of the park, close to the kids playground, court documents revealed.

Eakin breached the order again after he left the park and stood 100 to 200 metres from the Narromine Aquatic Centre until 4.18pm, before police stopped him across the road from Dundas Park.

He was fitted with an ankle bracelet which tracked his movements while he was in Narromine.

His breaches of the protection order were reported to police by a Community Corrections case officer at 4pm before he was taken to Dubbo Police Station and charged.

He told police he didn't pay attention to his surroundings, before telling them he hadn't been thinking clearly.

Defence lawyer Jacky Dougan-Jones told the court Eakin had taken his friends to the pool, but left and sat in a different area.

"He instructs me he tried contacting police that morning to ask where he could and couldn't go," Ms Dougan-Jones said.

The court heard Eakin had grown up in an environment where he was significantly neglected by his parents, and in one instance had been locked in his bedroom without food or water for a number of days because his mother was mad at him.

He had moved to the care of his grandmother, however was forced to move back with his parents.

"The experiences of abuse and neglect affected his development," Ms Dougan-Jones said.

Magistrate Hamilton said the sentencing assessment report revealed Eakin had not shown much insight into the offending, and had been assessed as being at high-risk of re-offending.

However taking into account his early plea of guilt and that he had been in custody since January 19, Magistrate Hamilton agreed it would be better for the community to have some sort of supervised order.

"It's important you understand the conditions of the child protection prohibition order," she said.

Eakin is expected to be released on Wednesday.