The recent passing of a 95-year-old woman, who was allegedly Tasered by a police officer at an aged care facility, has shocked and saddened many. The officer has been charged with three serious offences in connection to the incident.
The accused, senior constable Kristian White, 33, is facing charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm. These charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
White is set to appear at Cooma local court on 5 July to respond to the charges.
It is reported that the woman, Clare Nowland, was Tasered by police after she was found armed with a steak knife in her home at the Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Cooma.
Tragically, Clare Nowland passed away, succumbing to her critical injuries including a fractured skull sustained during the incident.
The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, expressed her condolences to the Nowland family and labelled the incident as “nasty”. She also upheld the decision to suspend White from duty without pay, highlighting that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Webb declined to release bodycam footage of the incident until the investigation is completed. She stated that the charges against White could be upgraded based on Nowland’s condition and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the investigating detectives.
The NSW police minister Yasmin Catley also extended her condolences to the Nowland family and urged respect for their privacy during this time of mourning.
