David Eastman will struggle outside after 6913 days in jail

Eastman has spent 6913 days behind bars for the 1989 murder of the ACT’s police chief, Assistant Federal Police Commissioner Colin Winchester.

Mr Winchester’s killing was one of Australia’s most notorious crimes, and culminated with the arrest of the disgruntled former public servant, who held a grudge against police over an assault charge he wanted dropped.

An inquiry into his 1995 conviction has delivered the extraordinary recommendation that Eastman’s conviction be quashed, and has found a “substantial miscarriage of justice” occurred.

Eastman was convicted on the basis of “deeply flawed” forensic evidence, the inquiry has found, and was hindered by a failure of the prosecution to disclose all relevant information to his often changing defence team.

The inquiry’s recommendation, if adopted by the ACT Supreme Court, will see him freed, despite Acting Justice Brian Martin saying he is “fairly certain” Eastman is responsible.

Experts have warned that, if he is released, Eastman may be unable to function on the outside after so long in correctional facilities.

Eastman was aged 49 when his bail was first revoked mid-trial. He is now 68.

University of Canberra justice and criminology associate professor Lorana Bartels says it won’t be easy for Eastman to resume a life of freedom.

“As you can imagine, the world has moved on a lot, he’s been inside for almost 20 years,” Dr Bartels said.

“If you think of how many technological changes we’ve had and societal changes we’ve had, he’s coming out to a very different world.

“Quite frankly, even the most well-adjusted individual is going to struggle to cope on the outside.”

The ACT’s prison authorities attempt to give inmates autonomy in various aspects of prison life inside the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

But an inmate’s day is still regimented, and many of their activities are highly structured.

Dr Bartels says the day-to-day tasks on the outside may prove difficult for Eastman.

“Readjusting to that really would be a massive task … really for anyone after a lengthy period of time.”

Dr Bartels says prison authorities will put Eastman through the new Throughcare program, which provides support to inmates after their release.

But she says the sheer notoriety Eastman has attracted since the 1989 killing of Mr Winchester will be a challenge, making him easily recognisable on the streets.

“This has been obviously such a contentious and high-profile case that it’s burned its way into the Canberra mythology,” she said.

“I don’t know what his plans are, where he plans to live, but I imagine it would be quite difficult to adjust to life on the outside.”