By Adriane Reardon
Kristian White has been found guilty of the manslaughter of 95-year-old Clare Nowland.
Photo: 123RF
The NSW Police officer found guilty of the manslaughter of a 95-year-old woman in an aged care home in the Snowy Mountains has been sacked from the police force.
Kristian White, 34, tasered Clare Nowland at the Yallambee Lodge facility in Cooma on 17 May, 2023 while she was using a walker and carrying a knife.
She fell to the floor, fractured her skull and died in Cooma hospital a week later.
Last Wednesday White was found guilty by a jury in the NSW Supreme Court of manslaughter.
Today, Commissioner Karen Webb announced in a statement that White had been removed from the police force.
“Today I have determined that I do not have confidence in the officer’s suitability to continue as a police officer, in line with the procedure mandated under the Police Act 1990 section 181D,” Commissioner Karen Webb statement read.
“Accordingly, I have removed him from the NSW Police Force and he has been advised via his legal counsel.
“I have spoken with the family of the 95-year-old victim involved in this matter and advised them of my decision.”
Kristian White had pleaded not guilty to the single charge of manslaughter and his trial began in the NSW Supreme Court on 11 November.
Evidence was heard before a jury over the next eight days, during which the Crown argued that White breached a duty of care he owed to Nowland and committed manslaughter by criminal negligence or by committing an unlawful or dangerous act.
The defence argued that White’s actions were not disproportionate to the threat Nowland posed at the time and said he was preventing a breach of the peace in his role as a police officer.
The trial heard White was called to Yallambee Lodge in response to a triple-0 call made by staff about Nowland wandering the facility with her walker, initially holding two knives and entering other residents’ rooms.
She was later found with a steak knife by two paramedics and two police officers in a nurses’ room at the facility.
Over the course of a few minutes, the police officers, including White, attempted to try and get Nowland to drop the knife and stop moving, which were unsuccessful.
White said “bugger it” before deploying his taser on the 95-year-old, who fell backward and hit her head.
White was attached to the Monaro Police District, but had been suspended from the police force with pay for about 18 months.
NSW Police issued a statement the morning after the guilty verdict was handed down saying he had been suspended without pay.
White remains on bail ahead of sentencing submissions scheduled for 7 February, 2025.
– ABC
