My love for notorious Neddy Smith. Debra Smith regrets not having fairtale wedding day

THE wife of Arthur "Neddy" Smith has revealed her greatest regret is that she never had that fairytale day with one of Australia's worst criminals.

SHE was married to one of Australia's worst criminals, a convicted murderer, rapist and heroin kingpin.

But 29 years after wedding Arthur "Neddy" Smith behind the walls of Sydney's Long Bay Jail, Debra Smith's greatest regret is that she never had that fairytale day.

Gallery: The life of Neddy Smith

"I've always wanted to walk down the aisle in a white gown," the 53-year-old said from her home in Sydney's southwest.

"But  that's the way it had to be.

"He disappointed me a lot but I loved Ned that much that when he asked me to marry him and I just wanted to marry him, so I did."

Eight years after their divorce,  Debra, who has three children and several grandchildren with Smith, still talks to him by telephone almost every day and visits him regularly.

"We are good friends. I think he's done his time and I would like to see him released. There is no way he would reoffend," she said.

Smith _ battling parkinson's disease and serving a life sentence in Lithgow jail _ has spent almost half his adult life behind bars, graduating from petty crime to armed robbery and heroin dealing and allegedly given the "green light" by corrupt NSW detectives.

The story of his relationship with disgraced NSW detective Roger Rogerson played out on the small screen in acclaimed ABC TV series Blue Murder.  Now Smith is featuring on Channel 7's Beyond The Darklands series which starts Monday.

"Roger Rogerson hasn't done anything to help at all to be honest, he's just a fool as far as I am concerned," said Debra, who features in the show.

"The way [Smith] was portrayed in Blue Murder was, I wouldn't say an idiot but it wasn't Neddy."

When Debra _ whose current partner has met Smith numerous times _ vowed to love Smith, 64, in good times and in bad she meant it.

For the 20 years they were married she defended him _ and always will.

"The media put Ned as a bad monster and a monster he is not," she said.

"There are two sides of a person and I've seen both sides of Ned. The bad side of Ned I would never want to see again.

"But the man I married has always been a gentle person.

"He's always been a good father and provider and he has always done that for me and the kids.

"I respect the man, I honest to God respect him.

"He's made a lot of mistakes in his time but who doesn't?"