A NSW Police Officer who tasered a 95-year-old woman in her aged care home has been found guilty of manslaughter.
Following an eight-day trial, the 12-person jury delivered its judgement, finding Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White guilty of manslaughter following the death of Clare Nowland.
In the early hours of May 17, 2023, White discharged his taser at Nowland in Cooma’s Yallambe Lodge, as she was walking towards him in her walker holding a steak knife.
After Nowland was hit by the weapon, she fell backwards to the floor, hitting her head. A week later, the great-grandmother died of an inoperable brain bleed.
Although Nowland was not formally diagnosed with dementia, geriatrician Susan Kurrler said she did present symptoms of moderate to moderately severe frontotemporal dementia, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Per ABC News, when the judgement was delivered, Nowland’s family members “bowed their heads in relief” as others “embraced” one another as the verdict was read.
According to the publication, Crown Prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC argued that White “breached duty of care” he owed to Nowland and committed manslaughter by “criminal negligence or by committing an unlawful or dangerous act”.
On behalf of Nowland’s family, lawyer Sam Tierney, released a statement that said: “The family would like to thank the Judge and jury for carefully considering the matter and the DPP prosecution team for their hard work.”
“The family will take some time to come to terms with the jury’s confirmation that Clare’s death at the hands of a serving NSW police officer was a criminal and unjustified act.”
Following the verdict, the police officer will remain on bail, adjourning the proceedings to tomorrow.
Manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison in the state of New South Wales.
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