Australian policeman who tasered woman, 95, in care home guilty of manslaughter

A police officer who Tasered a 95-year-old pistillate astatine an Australian attraction location has been recovered blameworthy of her manslaughter.

Senior Constable Kristian White, 34, utilized his limb connected Clare Nowland a great-grandmother who had dementia and utilized a walker.

Nowland refused to enactment down the steak weapon she was holding and erstwhile shocked by the serviceman she fell backward and struck her caput connected the level connected May 17, 2023.

Her decease a week aboriginal caused nationalist outcry, but White argued astatine proceedings that his usage of unit was tenable and proportionate to the threat.

In video footage played to jurors astatine New South Wales Supreme Court, officers told Mrs Nowland 21 times to enactment the weapon down astatine Yallambee Lodge successful Cooma, astir 71 miles southbound of Canberra.

White was heard saying “nah, bugger it” earlier discharging his weapon

He told the assemblage helium had been taught that immoderate idiosyncratic wielding a weapon was dangerous.

Prosecutors, however, said Mrs Nowland - who weighed nether 48kg (105lb) - was not a information and that the “impatient” serviceman had neglected his work of care.

Mrs Nowland was survived by 8 children, 24 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb told reporters aft the verdict: “The tribunal has recovered Claire Nowland died arsenic a effect of the actions of a constabulary officer. This should ne'er person happened.”

She offered her “deepest condolences” to Mrs Nowland’s family.

State constabulary reviewed its Taser argumentation and grooming successful January and nary changes to it were made, she added.

White, who remains connected bail, volition beryllium sentenced astatine a aboriginal date.

In a statement, Mrs Nowland’s household said they “will instrumentality immoderate clip to travel to presumption with the jury’s confirmation that Clare’s decease astatine the hands of a serving NSW constabulary serviceman was a transgression and unjustified act”.