Elderly Woman Tased by Police Officer Found Guilty of Manslaughter

A police officer who fatally tasered a 95-year-old with dementia symptoms could face a long jail term after being found guilty of her unlawful killing by a jury.

Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White discharged his stun gun at Clare Nowland in a treatment room at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern New South Wales (NSW) town of Cooma on May 17, 2023.

Video evidence from his NSW Supreme Court trial showed the 34-year-old officer saying “nah, bugger it” before shooting the great-grandmother in the torso.

Nowland, who was holding a steak knife, fell backwards, hit her head, and passed away a week later in hospital.

After an eight-day trial, the 12-person jury deliberated for 20 hours before returning a manslaughter verdict on Wednesday.

Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC successfully argued that White’s use of the taser was criminal negligence or an unlawful and dangerous act, deeming it “utterly unnecessary.”

The jury dismissed defense counsel Troy Edwards SC’s claim that the officer’s actions were a justified response to the threat posed by Nowland.

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