A police officer who tasered an aged-care resident and caused her death is one step closer to learning his fate as his trial enters its closing phase.
Senior Constable Kristian White discharged his stun gun at Clare Nowland in a treatment room at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern New South Wales town of Cooma during the early hours of May 17, 2023.
The 95-year-old great-grandmother, who had symptoms of dementia and was holding a steak knife at the time, fell backwards and hit her head before dying a week later in hospital.
The NSW Supreme Court manslaughter trial, which is heading into its seventh day, has been shown dramatic footage of the tasering taken from the nursing home’s CCTV and police bodyworn cameras.
In these clips, the 34-year-old officer is seen yelling at Nowland as she slowly shuffles forward, discharging electrical sparks from his taser as a warning before firing it.
White took the stand on yesterday to argue why he was justified in firing the weapon despite only one minute passing after encountering her in the treatment room.
“You maintain, do you, that you wanted to give her as much time as possible and every opportunity to stop or drop the knife?” asked crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC.
Hatfield will give closing submissions to the jury when the trial resumes on today, followed by defence barrister Troy Edwards SC.
The jury will then hear closing remarks from Justice Ian Harrison before retiring to consider its verdict.
