There were emotional scenes at the end of the sentencing of the four men who murdered Oamaru man Justin McFarlane.

Stephen Boskell, Robert Cummings and Ryan Geary-Smart were sentenced to at least 18 years in jail, while Geary-Smart's brother Jacob got a minimum sentence of 17 years.

Mr McFarlane was attacked at a farm house in September 2013 and was hit with a beer bottle, a fire shovel, tied up and then left to die.

As Justice Gendall handed down his sentence, for one side of the court, there was a feeling of relief, while supporters of the guilty men sobbed.

As the men were led out, emotions spilled over.