Convicted child killer and rapist Chesterfield Johnson has signed a contract forbidding him to use alcohol and illicit drugs.

He has also been voluntarily attending psychiatric counselling sessions on a regular basis.

A spokesperson for the Christian-based Prison Fellowship Bermuda Programme revealed this after there was public outcry against Mr. Johnson's release last week from prison without much rehabilitation or supervision.

Concerned mothers called The Royal Gazette begging the paper to publish a photo of the 46-year-old man who raped and brutally murdered 11-year-old Connie Furtado in Paget 20 years ago.

And at least one school sent out a general warning to parents to keep their children "safe from strangers''.

But Prison Fellowship's chairman Charles Vaucrosson said Mr. Johnson was doing more to become a changed person than most ex-prisoners who they have worked with.

Two months prior to Mr. Johnson's release he passed "very stringent requirements'' to enter the group's Adopt an Inmate Programme, he noted.

"This includes a personal contract which he signed forbidding the use of alcohol and drugs, and some limitations on movement,'' Mr. Vaucrosson said.

"In exchange he is supported by a team of six mature Christian men, in such areas as counselling, financial planning, obtaining accommodations and vocational guidance.'' To enter the programme, Mr. Vaucrosson explained, participants must have interest in spiritual matters. "Chesterfield Johnson is now a Christian man and has been for over a year,'' he said. "Any true Christian will tell you that means he is a new man. Mr. Johnson has currently been freely travelling around Bermuda for a number of months, as part of a pre-release programme and has yet to break any of our laws.

"He has also become part of our Inmates Assistance Program, which means he is voluntarily attending psychiatric counselling sessions on a regular basis. He is doing more to try to help himself become a changed person than most any ex-prisoner we have worked with.'' Mr. Johnson has also been involved in a religious-based community-work programme in St. George's -- known as the Wood Shop Plus programme.

Mr. Vaucrosson added that it is time for the community to try supporting Mr.

Johnson in his efforts. "Remember the first person Jesus Christ forgave and promised would be in Heaven with him, when he was on the cross, was in fact a criminal,'' he pointed out.

"Might we suggest you start applying the most successful rehabilitation programme. It is called prayer. We find it usually has a more successful effect than hate.'' JAIL JAL