Gunman's partner seeks ACC payout

The partner of the Napier gunman who shot dead a policeman during a three-day siege says she is entitled to the nearly $10,000 in ACC compensation she was awarded after he apparently took his own life.

Jan Molenaar, 51, killed Senior Constable Len Snee and injured two others and a civilian when officers went to his Chaucer Rd home in May with a cannabis search warrant.

The siege ended when Molenaar, who had collected a cache of military-style weapons, was found dead with a suspected self-inflicted shotgun wound.

His former partner Delwyn Keefe has since admitted selling cannabis from the house over a five-year period and is due to be sentenced next month.

Ms Keefe received a lump sum of more than $5000 from ACC to help pay for his funeral and a "survivor grant" of around $4000, the Weekend Herald reported.

She said she did not believe the actions of her former partner should have excluded her from the compensation.

"It's no different to anyone (else) who commits suicide. I'm entitled to it. I shouldn't be persecuted because of what Jan did."

The ACC entitlement for suicide was introduced by the Labour Government in 2008, although the National Government plans to axe the compensation under proposed legislation before Parliament.

Ms Keefe thought cutting the compensation was a "silly idea" as it helped pay for Molenaar's $7000 funeral. She is also fighting to keep the home she shared with Molenaar, which the Solicitor-General is attempting to seize.

- NZPA