Australia’s most notorious serial killer has been described as “absolutely heartless” after he refused to confess to his crimes on his deathbed.

Ivan Milat was serving seven life sentences in Long Bay prison for killing seven backpackers when he died on Sunday morning, aged 74.

He had been diagnosed with terminal oesophagus and stomach cancer in May.

Chief reporter for The Daily Telegraph Janet Fife-Yeomans sat through Milat’s 1996 trial, and still gets teary as she recounts the experience to Ray Hadley.

“Sorry, I get emotional just even thinking about it, Ray.

“What a coward was Ivan Milat that at the end he didn’t even have the courage, not only to confess to the backpacker killings, but to tell the police about these at least six… other young people that there was no doubt that he killed.

“What a coward to take that with him.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Former Corrective Services Commissioner Ron Woodham took Ray on a rare tour of Supermax in 2012, which included a shock meeting with the mass murderer.

“I remember what you said at the end of it,” Ray tells Mr Woodham.

“When we left you said ‘Ivan… there’s a difference between Mr Hadley and myself and yourself.

“We’re going home and you’re not. See you later!’”

Mr Woodham says he’s not surprised Milat refused to admit to his crimes until the very end.

“I knew that he’d go to the grave denying everything. That’s the stance he took right from day one.

“All the jailers knew, Ray, from the day he got convicted of those seven murders, that he had a one-way ticket to hell.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview