Kristian White has been sacked from the NSW Police Force one week after he was found guilty of manslaughter for fatally Tasering 95-year-old Clare Nowland.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb today confirmed the 34-year-old has been removed from the force after he was initially suspended without pay.
In a statement, Webb said she does “not have confidence in the officer’s suitability to continue as a police officer”.
“Accordingly, I have removed him from the NSW Police Force and he has been advised via his legal counsel,” she said.
“I have spoken with the family of the 95-year-old victim involved in this matter and advised them of my decision.”
White discharged his stun gun at Nowland as she stood with her walker and a serrated knife in Cooma’s Yallambee Lodge aged care home on May 17, 2023.
Nowland, who had dementia, fell backwards and hit her head, dying a week later from bleeding on the brain.
Last Wednesday, White was found guilty of her manslaughter by a jury in the NSW Supreme Court.
After hearing evidence and submissions over the eight-day trial, the 12-person jury returned with a guilty verdict of manslaughter.
They had been deliberating for 20 hours.
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC successfully argued White was criminally negligent or conducted an unlawful and dangerous act by firing the Taser in a move which was “utterly unnecessary”.
In reaching its verdict, the jury rejected arguments by defence counsel Troy Edwards SC that the officer’s use of the Taser was a proportionate response to the threat Nowland posed.
During the trial, footage played to the jury showed White saying “nah, bugger it” before shooting the great-grandmother in the torso with his Taser.
Manslaughter carries a maximum 25-year jail term.
