The Kempsey family who unknowingly accepted convicted child killer Austin Allan Hughes into their lives feel ‘‘betrayed and horrified’’ that the murderer was able to blend into their community using a new identity.Hughes, who now goes by Blain Lopez Smith, was arrested and charged with breaching the Child Protection Act on Friday after it was alleged he was living with a woman and her two children at Kempsey.The revelation comes after he was released from prison in December 2009, having served 16 years for the brutal murder of six-year-old Nowra boy John Ashfield in tandem with the boy’s mother, Gunn-Britt Ashfield, in 1993.Yesterday, the Kempsey woman’s mother spoke out about her daughter’s relationship with Hughes, and the family’s horror when they discovered that the sometimes-controlling boyfriend was in fact a violent killer.Speaking through family lawyer Roger Firth, the mother said she was extremely distressed to learn that her young granddaughter and grandson had been exposed to Hughes unwittingly.‘‘She felt betrayed and she was horrified that he could be in the community and that the children could be exposed to him,’’ Mr Firth, director of Firth, McAlpine and Scott Lawyers, said.‘‘The thought that they’ve had the grandchildren in that environment [and that] on a number of occasions he has been with the children ... she’s certainly distressed by it. ‘‘She’s amazed that someone could change their name and just blend back into the community like he has.’’The woman’s mother, who has lived in Kempsey for 20 years and runs her own business, thought Hughes was a very likeable, genuine man when she hired him for a job and eventually introduced him to her daughter.‘‘He’s quite a personable person, quite a likeable guy,’’ Mr Firth explained.‘‘She said she considered him a friend and that he ingratiated himself in the family then met her daughter and started going out with her.’’ However, the mother’s suspicions were raised when he avoided giving her information for a criminal background check. Her concerns grew when the family noticed Hughes was always wearing a hat and sunglasses.Conversations between Hughes and other family members also raised alarm bells, particularly after he told them on a number of occasions the woman’s young boy was ‘‘too spoilt and needed disciplining’’.It came to a head when they did an internet search of the terms ‘‘Kempsey’’ and ‘‘killer’’ and came up with a photograph of Hughes and information about his murder conviction.At the time Hughes was holidaying with the woman. It was only when they returned that her family dared show her their findings.Hughes’ victim, John Ashfield, died after a prolonged attack during which he was kicked, punched and shoved into a cold shower before having his head placed on a phone book and repeatedly hit with a hammer.Two of his brothers were forced to jump from a bunk on top of him.Hughes has been living in the Kempsey area since his release from prison in December 2009.At the time, the Member for Oxley, Andrew Stoner, now Deputy Premier, voiced his concerns about releasing the convicted killer into the community. “If the State Government is stupid enough to let this person out early, they can send him elsewhere, he’s the last person Kempsey wants,” Mr Stoner had said. “Using our town as a dumping ground for a convicted child murderer won’t be accepted by the local community - he didn’t come from here and we don’t want him here.”Yesterday, the mother warned that it could happen to anyone, and that people should be alert.She also expressed sympathy for John Ashfield’s family. ‘‘She said she couldn’t imagine how they must be feeling,’’ Mr Firth said.