The finger pointing continues between Karl McKay and Samantha Kematch, less than a week after the two were convicted of the first-degree murder of Keematch's five-year-old daughter, Phoenix Sinclair.

In an interview with CTV's Kelly Dehn Thursday, McKay said he wanted to respond to a newspaper article published earlier this week, in which Kematch claimed McKay was abusive and that she truly loved her daughter.

"Okay this is how cold hearted Samantha is," he said from a prepared statement at the beginning of the interview. "My sister had given Phoenix Christmas presents. Sam just threw them in the garbage and said 'Phoenix doesn't deserve them 'cause she's bad.'"

McKay also said Kematch made her daughter drink beer and smoke cigarettes.

He also acknowledged his own criminal record for abusing women in previous relationships, but said he had changed since he stopped drinking.

"Biggest mistake of my life"

He said Kematch controlled their relationship, and that while they were together he weighed a little more than 100 lbs, suffering from a nerve disorder.

McKay would not answer any questions about the killing of Phoenix Sinclair, but he said the biggest mistake of his life was not calling police the day the girl died.

"I just wanted to phone police, phone anybody," he said. "But I listened to [Kematch], but I shouldn't have listened to her. That was the biggest mistake of my life. I should have listened to my heart."

McKay says Kematch told him not to call, because if he did he would lose his kids.

McKay described trying to revive Phoenix by performing CPR, and says he considers her death an accident.

Still evidence presented during the trial showed the five-year-old had suffered ongoing abuse.

The court heard that Phoenix's bones showed long term injuries, many that were never allowed to heal properly.

During Thursday's interview McKay seemed sincere and contrite as he read an apology to the family of Phoenix Sinclair. And he cried when he was talking about his own children.

"This is a wake up call to love your children. Don't go out boozing, fighting whatever, losing your children because of alcohol or abuse."

McKay's two sons testified against him and Keematch during their trial.

With a report from CTV's Kelly Dehn