A BRITISH tourist whose evidence was crucial in convicting Australia's "backpacker murderer", says he will give his £250,000 reward to charity and the victims' families.
"I don't need any of the money because surely there should be some morals left where you don't need money to give evidence," said Mr Paul Onions (30), an air conditioning engineer from Willenhall, in the West Midlands.
His testimony helped secure the conviction of Ivan Milat (51) for the serial killings of British holidaymakers Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark, three Germans and two Australians in the Belanglo state forest 65 miles south-west of Sydney.
Mr Onions was the only survivor of an attack by Milat, who picked him up hitchhiking, pulled a revolver on him and produced rope to tie him up after pulling off the road a half a mile from the turn to the forest where the seven bodies were found.
The British man Mr Onions escaped from the car as Milat shot at him.
Milat chased and tackled Mr Onions, who managed to break tree and flag down another motorist to escape.
The murder of the seven young backpackers was Australia's worst serial killing, and prompted a reward of Aus$500,000 for information leading to the conviction of the culprit.
Mr Onions previously had said he was not interested in a reward, but has now told Australia's 60 Minutes TV programme on Channel Nine he will ask for it and donate it to charity for the victims' families.