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
Australia's happiest generation of workers revealed

Discover Which Generation Tops the List as Australia’s Happiest Workers

In a recent study conducted by employment platform Seek, baby boomers have…

The Widening Debt Gap: How Some Australians Are Falling Further Behind

Key Points A Canstar survey reveals fewer Australians have a non-property related…
ADF  sexual violence class action reaches court

Groundbreaking ADF Sexual Violence Class Action Case Begins: What You Need to Know

The courtroom is now hosting a pivotal class action lawsuit brought forward…
The NSW Food Authority shared this image to its official Facebook page.

Australian Food Authority Issues Advisory on Widespread Kitchen Practice

Many Australians, perhaps without realizing the potential consequences, have been putting themselves…
Disgraced ex-AFL figure arrested over alleged threats to police

Ex-AFL Agent Ricky Nixon Convicted for Selling Counterfeit Football Memorabilia

A former AFL player agent has been convicted for selling footballs fraudulently…
Australia's oldest living World War II veteran, Colin Wagener, has celebrated his 108th birthday at his property in the Adelaide Hills.

Australia’s Most Senior WWII Veteran Marks 108th Birthday Celebration

In a heartwarming celebration, Colin Wagener, Australia’s most senior World War II…

Hong Kong Apartment Mesh Fails Fire Safety Standards Amid Rising Death Toll

Some of the exterior netting used on scaffolding at a Hong Kong…
Police reveal key clues about whoever is behind Adelaide school threats

Unveiling the Mystery: Police Discover Vital Clues in Adelaide School Threat Investigation

Authorities in South Australia have disclosed significant developments in their investigation into…