Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White guilty verdict
Share and Follow

Kristian James Samuel White was found guilty of manslaughter after Tasering 95-year-old Clare Nowland at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern NSW town of Cooma, in the early hours of May 17, 2023.

He will face a sentence hearing in the NSW Supreme Court today, during which prosecutors are expected to argue he should serve time behind bars.

Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White guilty verdict
Former police officer Kristian White has been found guilty of manslaughter. (Nine)

The jury was shown CCTV footage of police officers and Nowland before she was Tasered.

White’s barrister has already argued a jail sentence was not inevitable for the nature of his offending.

At the time of the incident, Nowland was holding a knife and was uncompliant with requests from staff, a court was told during a trial in November.

Clare Nowland, 95, passed away after she was tasered by a police officer.
Clare Nowland, 95, died after she was Tasered by a police officer. (A Current Affair)

After being Tasered by White, she fell to the ground and fractured her skull, dying in hospital a week later.

Despite White arguing he felt the great-grandmother posed a threat at the time, a jury unanimously found him guilty of manslaughter.

He was sacked from the force almost a week after the verdict, but has since launched legal proceedings challenging that decision.

Supreme Court judge Ian Harrison refused a motion in December for White to be taken into custody, finding it possible he ultimately will not see the inside of a jail cell.

Harrison noted at the time he did not want to “cause distress or frustration” to those who see nothing other than a sentence of full-time imprisonment appropriate for White.

“I should not want to give unwarranted hope to Mr White that he will avoid a sentence of full-time imprisonment,” he said at the time.

“I am simply not comfortable making … a decision as a bail authority with respect to Mr White based on a conclusion that he will be sentenced to imprisonment to be served by full-time detention.”

Nowland’s family said at the time they were struggling to come to terms with decision to allow White’s bail to continue despite his conviction.

Police and paramedics were called to Nowland’s nursing home after the great-grandmother grabbed two steak knives from a kitchen and raised them against residents and staff before throwing one at a carer.

White pulled the Taser’s trigger after three minutes of negotiations to get her to put down the remaining knife.

He was heard in video footage played at his trial saying “nah, bugger it” before shooting Nowland in the torso.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Ceasefire Faces Crucial Test Amid Allegations of Attack by Israel Against Hamas

Israel says it has responded to an attack on Israeli forces in…

Police Thwart Teen Carjacking Spree: Charges Filed Against Young Offenders

Two teenage boys have been charged after police foiled two attempted carjackings…

Netanyahu Vows Conflict Will Persist Until Hamas Disarms as Two More Hostage Bodies Returned

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the war in Gaza would…

Israel Confirms Identity of Tenth Hostage: 75-Year-Old Man Found Deceased

The body of a tenth deceased hostage returned to Israel from Gaza…

Violence Erupts in Tobacco Trade Dispute: Two Workers Injured in Fiery Attack

Adelaide is witnessing a troubling surge in arson incidents, with the latest…

Louvre Museum Shutters Due to ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ Following Theft Incident

The world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris is closed for the day after…

Breaking News: Qatar Brokers Immediate Ceasefire Agreement Between Afghanistan and Pakistan

In a significant diplomatic development, Afghanistan and Pakistan have reached an agreement…

Concerns Over AI Bullying Rise as $10 Million Invested in Innovative School Safety Initiative

Warning: This article contains references to suicide/self-harm. The government has announced a…