The family of a grandmother who died after being tasered at an aged care home in regional NSW have read “shocking” details of the incident in a briefing of the facts against a police officer facing court.
Senior Constable Kristian White was charged over the tasering of 95-year-old Clare Nowland at Yallambee Lodge aged care home in Cooma in May.
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He was suspended from the NSW Police Force after 12 years of service following the incident, when he was charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.
Nowland, who was diagnosed with dementia, later died from injuries sustained in the incident.
“See you are going to get tasered,” White allegedly said to Nowland after a warning arc, showing the electrical arc of the device, was triggered.
“Clare stop,” he allegedly said.
At the time, Nowland was holding a knife pointed at another officer, who was standing about two metres away.
“Stop just … na bugger it,” White then said before deploying the Taser, according to the police statement of facts.
Still holding her walking frame, Nowland fell backwards, hitting her head heavily on the wooden floor.
She was found to have an inoperable bleed on the brain when taken to Cooma Hospital, where she later died.
NSW Police standard operating procedures for the device indicate it is not to be used against elderly or disabled people unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Nowland’s family was provided a copy of the police facts sheet following a bail hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, before it was released on Wednesday afternoon.
Through lawyers, the family asked for privacy and space as they consider the information.
“The facts alleged against White are extremely confronting and shocking,” solicitor Sam Tierney said.
Following Tuesday’s bail hearing, White is required to be of good behaviour, attend court as ordered, and not contact Nowland’s family or prosecution witnesses except through a lawyer.
The conditions requested by the Crown were not opposed by White or his legal team.
A plea has not been entered on any of the charges and the matter will return to Cooma Local Court on September 6.
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