A man who shot a policeman and terrorised hostages in a bungled Sydney hotel robbery has been sentenced to at least 11 years in prison.
Dramatic scenes unfolded in the courtroom today when Tevi Koloamatangi, 41, was handed his jail term for seven offences including shooting with intent to murder Sergeant Sergeant Stephen de Lorenzo at The Lakes Hotel in the eastern Sydney suburb of Rosebery in May, 2009.
Sergeant de Lorenzo, who was first on the scene, was shot in the right shoulder while Koloamatangi was hit three times in a shootout during the four-hour siege.
Sgt de Lorenzo had told jurors he was trying to protect three staff members who had been taken hostage, including one who was held at gunpoint throughout the ordeal.
In evidence, he described people screaming and whimpering, including one man who yelled "God save me! God save me!", and said he was concerned the hostages would be "executed".
Emad Raad, 27, who drove Koloamatangi to the hotel and remained on lookout until police arrived, was sentenced to a minimum term of five years.
Moments after NSW District Court Judge Deborah Sweeney sentenced the offenders, Sgt de Lorenzo was visibly angry with the result and directed hostile remarks to family members of the offenders in the public gallery.
Koloamatangi, who denied the attempted murder charge, pleaded guilty to armed robbery, discharging a firearm with intent to avoid lawful apprehension, and two charges of detaining a person while in company.
"I am satisfied Mr Koloamatangi fired his gun first," Judge Sweeney said, adding that the gunman had the option to surrender, rather than shoot.
"I have found Mr Koloamatangi was not lying in wait for Sgt de Lorenzo, however, when he saw Sgt de Lorenzo, he shot at him."
He was sentenced to a non-parole period of 11 years and maximum of 15 years for the Lakes Hotel events and two other, unrelated offences.
His term was backdated to the date of the robbery, meaning he will be eligible for release on May 30, 2020.
Raad was found guilty of shooting with intent to murder, armed robbery and wounding with intent to avoid lawful apprehension.
Raad will be eligible for parole on June 14 2016.
