Killer's mother wants to fight P

The mother of convicted child killer Steven Williams says she wants to front a national "shock" campaign warning against the dangers of the drug P.

Robyn Williams said it was P, the pure form of methamphetamine, that drove her son to kill his 6-year-old stepdaughter, Coral-Ellen Burrows, during a violent rage in Featherston last September.

Williams, who eventually confessed to the murder after several days of painstaking work by searchers and police investigators, is serving a life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 15 years.

"I still can't cry properly for Coral. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place having loved Coral and knowing what Steven has done - he's my son," Ms Williams said.

"But if there is one thing good that can come out of it, it is that it can highlight the dangers of that evil drug P."

She said several groups had highlighted the risks of the destructive drug following Williams' arrest and conviction, but she was now concerned the message was no longer being pushed hard enough.

"It took a little girl to die for this problem to get taken seriously. We mustn't ever forget that.

"Lives have been lost because of this drug.

"I will push the P thing whenever I can. I will dob in anybody who is using it or pushing it - I don't care about what kind of trouble it will land me in. But we have to do more."

Ms Williams said she was prepared to front a "shock" campaign to get the message across, but was still waiting for someone to approach her.

"I don't care who it is - TV or whoever."

Ms Williams said she had received letters of support from P users, who said their families had been "ripped apart" by the drug.

Her son was also keen for her to keep campaigning against the drug.

Williams had suffered permanent psychological damage as a result of his P use, she said. That in combination with grief and remorse had led to repeated suicide attempts.

Ms Williams said she had also been traumatised by her son's actions and the resulting sense of shame.

The 58-year-old is battling emphysema.

"I was already a heavy smoker. All the stress of the murder case and Steven's sentencing has left me smoking more ... I'm killing myself."

Doctors had told Ms Williams that at best she would live another 10 years.

Her pub, The Tin Hut at Tauherenikau, just north of Featherston, was closed for several months after the murder and is now for sale.

Williams, who was previously at Upper Hutt's Rimutaka Prison, was moved to another jail late last month because of death threats, including a $20,000 bounty on his head, Ms Williams said.

Both she and the Corrections Department have refused to confirm his new location.

A Crown appeal against Williams' sentence is due to be heard in the Court of Appeal on July 5.

- NZPA