Controversy after former officer who tasered Clare Nowland learns his fate

Kristian James Samuel White, the now-former police officer who fatally tasered 95-year-old Clare Nowland, has avoided a prison sentence. A judge described the act as a "terrible mistake" but ruled it fell at the lower end of seriousness for manslaughter cases.

White, 35, left the NSW Supreme Court on Friday under strict conditions, including a two-year community corrections order requiring good behaviour and an order to complete 425 hours of community service. The sentencing follows the tragic events of May 17, 2023, when White fired a Taser at Nowland at the Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in Cooma, NSW.

Justice Ian Harrison acknowledged the unlawful and dangerous nature of White's actions, stating he had misread or misunderstood the situation. “A frail and confused 95-year-old woman in fact posed nothing that could reasonably be described as a threat of any substance,” he said.

Nowland, who suffered from dementia, was holding a knife while using a walking frame and had ignored staff attempts to disarm her. White, after only a few minutes at the scene, discharged his Taser, reportedly saying, "nah, bugger it," before the weapon’s barbs struck her chest. The force of the Taser caused her to fall and suffer a brain bleed, leading to her death in hospital a week later.

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Justice Harrison recognised the grief and anger of Nowland’s family, stating, “The complete and utter frustration and despair exhibited by her family in the circumstances is easy to understand when things could have so easily been handled better.”

While White’s actions were deemed unlawful, the judge noted that he had been called to the aged-care home lawfully and had been required to resolve the situation. “He could not have chosen to do nothing,” Justice Harrison said.

During sentencing, White stood expressionless, while members of Nowland’s family were visibly emotional. In a letter to the family submitted to the court, White expressed deep remorse, writing, “I take full responsibility for my actions – I felt and still feel horrible for what happened. I do not expect you to take my apology as a request for forgiveness and I understand that you suffer greatly.”

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Since the incident, White has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Due to public outrage in Cooma, he will be forced to relocate.

White was dismissed from the NSW Police Force in December following his guilty verdict. However, he has initiated legal action to seek a review of the decision.

The case has sparked widespread debate over police use of force, particularly in interactions with vulnerable individuals, with the lenient sentence leaving many questioning whether justice was adequately served for Nowland and her grieving family.

Images: Supplied