13 Jul 2018

Man who supplied guns to double murderer sentenced

12:09 pm on 13 July 2018

The man who supplied firearms - including military-style semi-automatics - to a gunman who later killed a property manager and her daughter has been sentenced to a year's home detention.

Michael John Hayes at the Whangarei District Court

Michael John Hayes at the Whangarei District Court Photo: RNZ / Edward Gay

Michael John Hayes appeared at the Whangarei District Court today after earlier admitting firearms charges, including supplying them to Quinn Patterson, who did not have a gun licence.

Quinn Patterson

Quinn Patterson Photo: LinkedIn

Patterson went on to shoot 60-year-old Wendy Campbell and her daughter Natanya when the pair visited his Mt Tiger road home in July last year.

Judge John McDonald said Hayes knew Patterson didn't have a firearms licence but left six guns at Patterson's home and helped him to buy more.

The guns Hayes supplied included three classed as semi-automatic military style rifles that Judge McDonald said were designed for only one purpose - to kill people.

The scene at the Whareora end of police cordon

Police at the scene of the shooting last year. Photo: RNZ / Lois Williams

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