A soldier who threatened to kill several people and almost got his wish to be shot by police may be able to continue his career in the Army.
Lance Corporal Michael John McEntee was yesterday spared a prison sentence that would have brought about an automatic discharge from
the armed forces.
Instead, McEntee was sentenced by Judge David Saunders to 120 hours' community work and a year of supervision for the dramatic events in April, when his partner had to step in the way to prevent police from shooting him.
His sentence, imposed in the Christchurch District Court, leaves the door open for the Army to reinstate McEntee. He is currently suspended.
A Defence Force spokesman said that after getting formal notification from the court of McEntee's sentence, the Army would review his status.
His history would be considered, and he could be reinstated with a warning.
Judge Saunders said a psychological report showed McEntee had issues that needed addressing, including a diagnosis related to time he had served overseas.
Reference was also made to McEntee's being a victim of violence.
Judge Saunders told McEntee: "You have spent five weeks in custody and that has no doubt been a time for some real reflection about what went wrong on that particular day."
McEntee's problems came to a head in April at a party at his home at Canterbury's Burnham Military Camp to celebrate the end of training for a mission to East Timor.
The party turned sour when McEntee, 33, got into a dispute with his partner.
He appeared wielding an imitation pistol, which those present believed to be genuine.
McEntee threatened to shoot several people, as well as police officers who turned up later, after he himself had called them out.
At one point a policeman took aim at McEntee with his Glock pistol and began squeezing the trigger, but McEntee's partner stepped in the way.
After the armed stand-off, McEntee was convinced to give himself up. He later said he saw the police's arrival as an opportunity to be shot by them.
McEntee was sentenced yesterday on charges of threatening to kill, presenting a firearm and using a firearm to avoid arrest.
