Former New South Wales police officer Kristian White has sought to appeal against his sacking from the force after he was convicted of manslaughter for fatally shooting a 95-year-old woman in a nursing home with a Taser.
White was sacked in early December just days after a jury in the NSW supreme court found him guilty of the manslaughter of Clare Nowland.
A spokesperson for the NSW police confirmed a case had been filed in the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales to appeal against the sacking.
“NSW Police have been advised a former officer who was attached to Monaro PD, has filed in the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales an application for review under s 181E of the Police Act 1990,” the spokesperson said. “Given the matter is before the IRC no further comment can be made.”
White used a Taser to shoot the great-grandmother, who was armed with a serrated knife and threatening police and staff, at her Cooma nursing home in May 2023. She died a week later from head injuries sustained when she fell backwards from the force of the Taser.
When the verdict was handed down, White was on leave with pay, and moved to leave without pay the following day.
Six days after the ruling the NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, announced White had been sacked from the force under the police act section 181D, which gives the police commissioner the power to fire an officer if confidence is lost in their suitability.
“Accordingly, I have removed him from the NSW police force and he has been advised via his legal counsel,” Webb said at the time.
“I have spoken with the family of the 95-year-old victim involved in this matter and advised them of my decision.”
White is on bail until February for sentencing, provided he remains on good behaviour, does not travel overseas, and does not communicate with Nowland’s family. The former officer has not spent any time in prison, and justice Ian Harrison told the court last month that jail was not an “inevitable” sentence.
White’s lawyer, Warwick Anderson, said White’s matters remain before the courts, meaning he is not in a position to make a formal statement.
“There are also certain time limits within which applications that relate to employment must be made. Mr White has exercised his right to lodge an application in the Industrial Relations Commission and that matter will be determined in due course.”
Last month Anderson said: “Since that fateful morning, Kristian has tried to deal with the legal case against him, while confronting the pain that discharging his Taser ultimately resulted in Mrs Nowland’s death.”
