CHILD-KILLER John Lewthwaite pleaded not guilty yesterday to a charge of indecent exposure, and could be released from prison by the end of the month.

Lewthwaite, 50, was paroled in 1999 after serving 25 years in jail for the stabbing murder of five-year-old Nicole Hanns.

His recent arrest and release on bail after allegedly being found naked with a number of men at Wanda Beach in Sydney’s south created a political storm in NSW.

He was subsequently discovered to be living in the same unit block as a number of families with children and within close proximity of a childcare centre. There had been no official checks on him since 2002.

His parole was revoked on September 2, and he was returned to prison.

Lewthwaite’s legal aid lawyer, Greg Elks, said yesterday he would ask for a speedy exchange of briefs of evidence. “I understand there is only a couple of statements and photographs,” he told Sutherland Local Court.

Magistrate Kevin Flack adjourned the case for mention on October 12, when a hearing date will be set.

Victims of crime advocate Howard Brown, from the group VOCAL, said the Hanns family were anxious over the case and saw it as their responsibility to ensure no other children suffered the same fate as Nicole.

“The family would like to see him back inside,” he said.

Mr Brown said the decision to stand the matter over could affect the hearing before the NSW State Parole Authority on September 29 and lead to Lewthwaite’s release, because under the conditions of parole it had to be established that an offence had been committed.

Lewthwaite has appealed against the decision to return him to jail.