A 34-year-old police officer who tasered a 95-year-old woman with dementia symptoms at an Australian care home, has been found guilty of her manslaughter.
Senior Constable Kristian White, used his weapon on Clare Nowland after the she was found wandering with a small kitchen knife in the early hours of 17 May 2023.
A week later, Nowland died as a result of injuries obtained. Her death fuelled public uproar, but the officer argued at trial that his use of force was reasonable and proportionate to the threat.
The trial in the New South Wales (NSW) Supreme Court heard that Mrs Nowland, while not formally diagnosed with dementia, had been displaying signs of cognitive decline in the months leading up to her death and had at times behaved aggressively towards healthcare workers.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb said White’s employment was still under legal review.
