Quinton Winders' family have vowed to keep fighting for his freedom after he was today sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of stop-go worker George Taiaroa.
Winders, 46, and his family continue to profess his innocence of Taiaroa's "cold-blooded calculated execution" in 2013.
Winders was today sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years, by Justice Kit Toogood in the High Court at Rotorua.
Winders was emotionless and the public gallery was silent as the sentence was handed down.
Outside court, Winders' sister Miranda read a prepared statement.
"George Taiaroa didn't deserve what happened to him and we appreciate the [Taiaroa family] needs closure.
"It has been a very emotional rollercoaster for both our families.
Quinton Winders sister Miranda Dallow outside court. Photo/Ben Fraser
"However, we are saddened by the lack of professionalism of New Zealand police and the way they handled this case based off circumstantial evidence and incriminating and framing an innocent man who has never met George Taiaroa and could not even identify George prior to this case.
"Quinton Winders is an innocent man and sadly with great regret this is not closure for either family at this time.
"We as a family will continue to fight for my brother's freedom and this miscarriage of justice that has occurred. We hope justice will prevail."
Taiaroa's family declined to comment, instead exiting the building through a side door.
Justice Toogoood said the identity of the offender was the "single issue of this trial".
"[Winders] denied and continue to deny you were the offender.
"But the jury found you guilty and I agree."
He said although the rifle that killed Taiaroa had never been found, he had "no doubt" it was the one registered in Winders' name.
"Mr Taiaroa was not the only victim in your crime. At the beginning of this proceeding I acknowledged the two families that have been devastated by what you did.
"I have read the three victim impact statements of Mr Taiaroa's children who described their father as warm and funny. A man who lived life to the full. A social butterfly who treated everyone as family.
"It is clear George Taiaroa was a generous, caring, compassionate man who loved his wife and family."
"There are moments in time that change your life. For me 19 March, 2013 was such a moment. I was at the gym when a news bulletin came on the TV saying a stop-go worker had been killed in Tokoroa.
"My first thought was 'thank God Dad wasn't in Tokoroa'. My second thought was that I felt for the victim's family."
She said it was not until she got home she was told it was her father who had been killed.
Rochai Taiaroa went on to explain how hard it was dealing with her family's grief while the case received so much media attention.
She said it was painful to hear her father reduced to stereotypes in the media.
"I want to describe who my father was as a man, not just a Maori roadworker," she said.
"He loved people. All people. He saw the best in people, never judged. He treated everyone like family.
"As life gets bigger we miss him even more, he was the glue that held the family together.
"Losing Dad shattered the family and now we're trying to put the pieces back together. But we can't put it back together because Dad is the anchor piece that is missing."
Through tears Rochai Taiaroa said it was not only the big moments with her father that she missed.
"I'm terrified I will start to forget, already the memories are starting to fade, the way he smells, the way his moustache tickled your face. The way he felt when he hugged you, like you were in the safest place in the world."
She finished by saying she knew her dad was not perfect, "but to me, he was perfect".
"I'm not asking for justice, the only justice I want is to have my dad back. All I'm asking for is time, I want the time taken from us to be taken from the defendant."
Throughout the tearful statements Winders gazed forward, showing little emotion.
