A former soldier who supplied military style guns to Whangārei double-murderer Quinn Patterson has been sentenced to 12 months home detention.
Michael Hayes pled guilty to supplying firearms as well as unlawfully possessing military style semi-automatic weapons.
One of those weapons was used to fatally shoot Wendy Campbell and her daughter Natanya Campbell during a property inspection at Patterson's Mount Tiger Road property in rural Whangārei last year.
Natanya Campbell was shot at close range, her mother went to her aid and was shot dead too.
Contractor Jeff Pipe was also shot but managed to escape.
This morning Mr Pipe sat in court as Hayes was handed down his sentence.
Judge John McDonald said Hayes was well aware Mr Patterson wasn't a fit and proper person because he knew he was declined a firearm licence yet he helped him make the gun purchases.
Patterson was able to buy 10 firearms on Hayes' TradeMe account using his name and firearm licence. The guns included two AK-47 type weapons.
While Hayes held a gun licence it didn't permit him to own military style semi-automatic weapons either.
Judge McDonald acknowledged the good work Hayes has done saying with the exception of the current charges Hayes has been an outstanding member of the community and had served New Zealand overseas and risked his own life.
Hayes had also spent time detonating land mines in Laos and Cambodia.
Judge McDonald said it had been a very difficult sentence to come to because Hayes had spent almost his entire life servicing others.
Patterson set fire to his home following a standoff with police and his body was later recovered along with 11 firearms.
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