Kristian White arrives at the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney. White a police officer who fatally discharged a taser is accused of killing ninety five year old Clare Nowland in  an aged care facility in Cooma in 2023. Sydney, NSW. November 14, 2024. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Share and Follow

A bid to impose a harsher sentence and possible jail time on a police officer who fatally tasered an elderly aged-care resident with dementia has been locked in.

Then-senior constable Kristian James Samuel White fired his service Taser at Clare Nowland after being called to the Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the early hours of May 17, 2023.

Kristian White arrives at the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney. White a police officer who fatally discharged a taser is accused of killing ninety five year old Clare Nowland in  an aged care facility in Cooma in 2023. Sydney, NSW. November 14, 2024. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Kristian White was handed a two-year good behavious bond in March. (Kate Geraghty)

Crown prosecutors have since lodged an appeal against the “manifestly inadequate” sentence.

They argue that NSW Supreme Court Justice Ian Harrison made a number of errors in imposing the community corrections order instead of sending White to prison.

Today, a hearing for the crown’s appeal was scheduled for June 27 in the NSW Court of Appeal.

Registrar Peter Clayton’s offer of an earlier hearing date was not taken up by either crown or defence lawyers.

He suggested an earlier time, noting that White could be sent to jail as a result of the appeal.

“I can only imagine that’s playing on him,” he said.

Nowland, 95, who experienced symptoms of undiagnosed dementia and weighed less than 48kg, was holding a knife and using a walking frame when she encountered White.

White drew his weapon and pointed it at her for a minute before saying “nah, bugger it” and firing the weapon at her chest.

The great-grandmother fell and sustained a fatal brain injury.

In his judgment, Justice Harrison decided the need to deter other police officers from committing similar offences played “only a minor role” in his decision.

Clare Nowland, 95, died after being Tasered by White in May 2023. (Nine)

But prosecutors in their appeal believe he made a mistake in not issuing a strong warning to other police officers.

Prosecutors also claimed Justice Harrison erred when he found that White made a “terrible mistake” but his crime was less serious than other manslaughter cases.

The judge was wrong to conclude a jail sentence would be “disproportionate” to the seriousness of the offending, prosecutors allege.

Nowland’s eldest son Michael said White’s sentence was “very disappointing”.

“A slap on the wrist for someone who’s killed our mother – it’s very, very hard to process that,” he previously said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
US man shooting gun in yard kills woman blocks away, police say

Tragic Incident: Stray Bullet from Yard Shooting Claims Life of Woman Blocks Away in US

An Oklahoma man firing a gun he bought as a Christmas present…
Newsagency smashed in early morning Melbourne ram raid

Melbourne’s Morning Mayhem: Bold Ram Raid Targets Newsagency

A newsagency shopfront was smashed to pieces in Melbourne early this morning…
Beach matting allows people who use wheelchairs to reach the water's edge.

Discover Why This Melbourne Beach is Touted as Australia’s Top Coastal Gem

A quick dip to cool off on a scorching summer’s day, or…
Drone allegedly flies package to prisoner at South Australia's largest prison

Drone Delivery Scandal: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Smuggles Package into South Australia’s Largest Prison

A significant security breach occurred at South Australia’s largest correctional facility when…
A gun was found in the Porsche.

Teen’s High-Speed Pursuit in Porsche with Fake Plates Ends in Arrest: A Thrilling Police Chase Unfolds

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested after a police chase through Western…

Transform Unwanted Christmas Gifts into Cherished Treasures: A Guide to Regifting with Style

From wafty deodorant to odd novelty items and unconventional candles — we’ve…
CCTV of alleged Bondi gunmen in Philippines under AFP review

Philippines Authorities Analyze CCTV Footage in Connection to Bondi Shooting Suspects

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett says investigators are reviewing a trove…

Transforming Tradition: Sydney’s Iconic New Year’s Eve Celebrations to Debut Exciting Changes in 2023

Sydney’s iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks will ring in 2026 on Wednesday…