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Twist for cop accused of killing Clare Nowland

Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White, 33, who was accused of killing 95-year-old Clare Nowland <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/family-horrified-by-police-statement-on-tasering-of-clare-nowland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with a taser</a> at an aged care home in Cooma, regional NSW has been deemed a “flight risk”. White was charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault over the alleged “excessive use of force”. It is alleged that Nowland was using a walker and holding a serrated steak knife at the time of the incident, when the 33-year-old said “stop, just … nah bugger it” before allegedly tasering her. The great-grandmother fell backwards and fractured her skull, causing an inoperable brain injury that unfortunately led to her death just days later. Just last week, White's charges were upgraded to include an additional charge of manslaughter on advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions. White appeared in court on Wednesday, for the first time since his charges were upgraded, and received two new bail conditions. The Constable was required to surrender his passport and not leave the country due to the upgraded charges. However, prior to his bail conditions being approved, Magistrate Roger Clisdell criticised both Crown prosecutor Victoria Garrity, and White's defence lawyer Warwick Anderson for negotiating the new terms of bail without his input. “I make the decision,” he said. “I would have thought my last explosion would have caused you to be more sensitive to my position.” This comes after the prosecutors failed to tell the Magistrate that they had agreed to allow White to appear in court via video link in May, without the court's consent. The Crown prosecutor defended her actions by saying that she asked him to surrender his passport to mitigate the risk of flight. “With the more serious charge now being faced, there is a heightened risk that he would leave the jurisdiction and not face court,” she explained. “Those two new conditions are now appropriate.” While the police officer's defence lawyer added that “He has no intention of fleeing the jurisdiction," and agreed to the additional bail conditions “to facilitate the speedy resolution”. White will return to court in February next year. Nowland's family members released a statement via their lawyer after the proceedings on Wednesday. “The family does not wish to comment further on the criminal process at this time given the extremely serious nature of the charge against Mr White, who continues to be a sworn NSW police officer,” the statement read. NSW Police confirmed that White remained suspended from duty with pay. Images: ABC News South East NSW: Floss Adams/ News.com.au

Legal

Major update in fatal tasering charges

The police officer who allegedly tasered 95-year-old Clare Nowland has had his charges upgraded to manslaughter. Senior Constable Kristian White, 33, was called to Nowland's nursing home in Cooma on May 17th when she was suffering from a medical episode, before allegedly tasering the senior woman. Nowland, who had dementia, was wandering around her care home with two knives when police arrived and the alleged tasering took place. A week after the incident, she died in hospital from the injuries she sustained. While she was still fighting for life in hospital, Nowland's family filed a civil case against the state of NSW for negligence and trespass to a person, launching an investigation into the incident. Earlier this year, the police officer was charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault over the incident. On Wednesday, police upgraded Constable White's charges, charging him with manslaughter after receiving advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and State Crime Command’s homicide squad. Constable White remains suspended from duty with full pay and on bail in the Cooma community, where is prohibited from interacting with any of Mrs Nowland’s eight children, 24 grandchildren, or 30 great-grandchildren. He will next appear at Cooma Local Court on December 6th. Image credits: Facebook / Nine News

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Family horrified by police statement on tasering of Clare Nowland

The family of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, who tragically passed away after being tasered at an aged care home in regional NSW, have been shown distressing new details of the incident that were revealed in a police officer's court briefing. Senior Constable Kristian White, who served in the NSW Police Force for 12 years, was charged in connection with the tasering incident that resulted in the injury of Nowland at the Yallambee Lodge aged care home in Cooma in May. He has been suspended from duty since the incident and faces charges of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault. According to the police statement of facts, White allegedly made the statement, "See you are going to get tasered," to Nowland after activating a warning arc, which demonstrated the electrical arc produced by the device. He purportedly then followed this with the words, "Clare stop." At the time, Nowland was holding a knife and was positioned approximately two metres away from another officer. White then allegedly uttered, "Stop just... na bugger it," before deploying the taser. As a result, Nowland, still clutching her walking frame, fell backwards and hit her head forcefully on the wooden floor. Upon being taken to Cooma Hospital, it was discovered that Nowland had suffered an inoperable brain bleed, which ultimately led to her passing. The standard operating procedures of the NSW Police explicitly state that the taser should not be used against elderly or disabled individuals unless there are extraordinary circumstances. Following a bail hearing at the Supreme Court, the family of Nowland received a copy of the police facts sheet, which was subsequently released to the public. They have requested privacy and space as they process the provided information, as expressed by their solicitor, Sam Tierney, who described the facts alleged against White as "extremely confronting and shocking". As part of the conditions set during Tuesday's bail hearing, White is required to maintain good behaviour, attend court as directed, and refrain from contacting Nowland's family or prosecution witnesses, except through legal representation. These conditions were not contested by White or his legal team. No plea has been entered for any of the charges against White, and the case is scheduled to be heard again at Cooma Local Court on September 6. Images: NSW Police

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Officer charged with fatal tasering causes chaos in court

A magistrate has expressed his "absolute disgust" after the NSW police officer charged with the fatal tasering of a 95-year-old failed to show up in person for court. Kristian White, 33, appeared via audiovisual link in Cooma Local Court on Wednesday after being charged with discharging his weapon at Clare Nowland, a dementia patient at an aged care facility in Cooma, who fell backwards from the tasering and sustained fatal injuries. As the virtual court began, Magistrate Roger Clisdell blasted the crown prosecutor’s decision to allow the suspended police officer to appear via a video link. “Who runs this court, Ms Stuart? You or me?” he asked crown prosecutor Sally Stuart in a raised voice. He said he felt “absolute disgust” that the decision had blindsided him, which meant that “dumbo here sitting on the bench just has to suck it up.” The magistrate went on to note that the court had employed several extra security personnel “at great expense” in anticipation of the highly publicised appearance, given the media storm surrounding Ms Nowland's death. There was no reason given as to why Mr White didn't show up for court in person, given he is currently living in the community under no restrictions. In a confusing move, Ms Stuart asked the court to impose a condition which would compel him to appear in court in future. Mr Clisdell blasted the hypocritical application, asking, “You excused him today, so why should I put him at your beck and call, not mine?” Ms Stuart eventually conceded that police should have imposed bail conditions on Mr White when he was charged with the serious offences. “It is probably something that should have been considered at the time but that decision was made by police,” she said. Mr White’s lawyer Warwick Anderson opposed the request for his client to be placed on bail, telling the court it had no “meaningful efficacy”. Despite the magistrate's previous outrage, he agreed and branded the crown application an attempt to placate anyone who might be “upset” about the officer’s lack of restrictions. He declined to impose bail on the 33-year-old and said he would be excused from attending court on the next occasion. Mr White maintained a blank face as he listened to the Magistrate’s tirade from an undisclosed location. The matter will return to court in September and it will be managed by the DPP. Image credits: Nine News / Facebook <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px; margin-bottom: 24px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

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Brisbane officer captured punching and tasering motorist

Footage of a brutal altercation between a police officer and a motorist has surfaced online following a catastrophic three-car crash. The Queensland Police officer is captured on video punching the motorist through the window of his car in Strathpine in Brisbane’s north. Police allege the “highly agitated” man was drinking from a wine bottle and was under the influence when the officer arrived on the scene. “After the officer attempted to take the bottle away several times, it was allegedly thrown towards him,” a Queensland Police spokesperson said. “After giving numerous directions for the man to remain in the car, it will be alleged he continued to attempt to leave the vehicle by kicking the door into the officer, who used physical force to contain the man in the vehicle.” The heated exchange occurred around 1:45pm on June 22 after a collision at the intersection of Gympie and Samsonvale roads. The officer is seen in the video approaching the passenger side of a white car where the motorist tries to leave the vehicle through the open window. The officer is then seen grabbing at an object the motorist is holding, which police allege was a wine bottle, before allegedly hitting him multiple times. The video shows the man retreat inside the car before making another attempt to exit through the window, where he is then struck again. The motorist falls back again before trying to exit for a third time, blocked once again by the officer. Police allege the man continued to try and leave the car and “after several verbal warnings, a taser was deployed”. “Additional officers arrived on scene and another officer was allegedly spat on by the man,” the spokesperson said. The man has since been taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital while in custody to treat minor wounds. The scene was not short of witnesses, with several firefighters seen approaching the officer. “He needs to stop,” the woman filming the clip is heard saying. “Stop hitting him!” Senior police have reviewed body cam footage of the altercation as investigations continue. Image credit: 9News

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"Wonderful celebration of her life": Clare Nowland's fond farewell

Great-grandmother and beloved community member Clare Nowland will be farewelled in a “grand celebration” focusing on her extraordinary life, and not her tragic <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clare-nowland-dies-officer-charged" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a> after being tasered by police. Parish priest of St Patrick’s Catholic Church and a very close friend of Nowland, Father Croker, has told The Daily Telegraph that her funeral service will be held on June 13 from 11 am. “It will be a very big funeral, no doubt … and that’s the family’s request that it’s a wonderful celebration of her life,” he revealed. Nowland had lived a full life with 24 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren, who will be among the hundreds of mourners expected at the funeral service which will be held at St Patrick’s Church. “Throughout her long life her faith was always so important to her … and of course, her large family,” he said. He added that the great-grandmother had a passion for helping others, especially the other residents at their local nursing home. “She was a very smart lady, always helping people … she would go each week, when her health was better, and feed the residents at a local nursing home.” Nowland had suffered serious head injuries after being tasered by police at a Cooma Nursing home on May 17. She passed away peacefully a week later surrounded by her family. Senior Constable Kristian White was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/new-details-emerge-on-clare-nowland-s-tasering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> and charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault. He is due to face Cooma Local Court on July 5. Images: Facebook/ 9News / Nine

Caring

Why doesn’t Australia have greater transparency around Taser use by police?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-ryan-273878">Emma Ryan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> The use of a Taser to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-18/cooma-aged-care-home-police-woman-in-hospital-taser/102361018">subdue</a> a 95-year-old dementia patient at an aged care home in Cooma, New South Wales, last week is yet another sickening example of what can go wrong when police rely too heavily on force to resolve challenging situations. Although the senior constable who used the Taser on Clare Nowland has now been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/23/nsw-police-officer-who-tasered-95-year-old-dementia-patient-claire-nowland-suspended-from-duty-with-pay">suspended from duty</a>, calls are growing for an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/22/clare-nowland-95-year-old-tasered-by-nsw-police-aged-care-nursing-home-end-of-life-care">independent investigation</a> into the incident, as well as police treatment of people with dementia. It is crucial for any investigations that follow to also include a thorough examination of the use of Tasers by police in Australia. Why do general duties police officers need to carry Tasers? What purpose do they serve and do they improve outcomes in any way? If so, for whom? <h2>Lack of reporting on Taser use</h2> When Tasers were introduced in Australia in the early 2000s, the public was told they would replace firearms and reduce the need for police to resort to using lethal force. In fact, <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-had-a-record-number-of-police-shootings-in-the-past-year-should-we-be-concerned-169354">the opposite has occurred</a> – fatal police shootings reached an all-time high in 2019-20. Given this, it is presently not clear what benefit Tasers offer over other less-lethal weapons, such as OC spray, except to protect police officers themselves from coming into close proximity to people armed with weapons. The problem is a lack of transparency and accountability around their use. There is no public reporting on Taser use by police in any state or territory (except in the ACT where minimal detail is provided). Taser use <a href="https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/127630/How-are-Taser-weapons-used-by-NSW-Police-Force-Special-report-to-Parliament-October-2012-.pdf">has been formally reported to the public in New South Wales</a> only once, in a report by the state ombudsman in 2012. This analysis of more than 600 Taser incidents in a six-month period in 2010 found a third of people tasered by police were believed to be suffering from mental health issues. Three-quarters of the people were unarmed. More recent internal police figures obtained <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-police-database-unlocked-the-where-when-and-why-officers-used-force-20190917-p52s1p.html">by the media</a> showed NSW police used Tasers almost 3,000 times from 2014-18. More than 1,000 of those incidents involved people with mental health conditions. In other comparable countries, like the <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-22705-9_7">United Kingdom and New Zealand</a>, reporting on Taser use by police is mandated. Statistics show Tasers in these countries are used disproportionately against minority groups and other vulnerable populations. By comparison, the Australian public does not know how many times Tasers are drawn, fired or misfired by police. We know virtually nothing about their real efficacy and impacts. We only learn about their potential harms from the media or the coroner’s reports that follow tragic outcomes. In 2018, for example, a 30-year-old Sydney man, Jack Kokaua, died during an altercation with police in which a Taser had been <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/jack-kokaua-died-from-heart-condition-after-being-tasered-and-held-down-by-police-coroner-finds-20210512-p57r59.html">deployed three times</a>. The coroner found multiple factors, including the use of a Taser, positional asphyxia and a heart condition, had caused his death. After the incident, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/feb/21/call-to-lift-secrecy-around-police-taser-use-after-mentally-ill-mans-death">civil liberties groups</a> called for more transparency around how and when NSW police use Tasers. These calls went unheeded. <h2>Why transparency matters</h2> In Nowland’s case, there are other fundamental questions beyond Taser use that speak to a broader problem of inappropriate use of force by police, particularly against vulnerable people in distress. For example, one retired officer has suggested <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/roberto-died-after-being-tasered-14-times-it-was-supposed-to-change-everything-20230519-p5d9ok.html">police could have thrown a blanket</a> over Nowland, who weighed just 43 kilograms and was just 160 centimetres tall. Reports of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/21/nsw-police-footage-shows-officers-used-two-sets-of-handcuffs-on-81-year-old-woman-with-dementia">previous settlements</a> in civil cases involving inappropriate use of force in aged care settings show the extent of the problem. Body-worn cameras are helpful in providing insight into the various situations that police encounter. But in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-police-database-unlocked-the-where-when-and-why-officers-used-force-20190917-p52s1p.html">the Kokaua case</a>, the cameras were not turned on. And oftentimes, the footage rarely finds its way into the public domain, as complainants fight for access in the courts. This means the public is under-informed about the problematic incidents that do occur in police interactions with the public. This is especially the case with Tasers. For example, there is body-camera footage of the tasering of Nowland, but NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has not only said she would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/20/nsw-police-commissioner-says-she-wont-watch-video-of-clare-nowland-95-being-tasered">not watch the footage</a>, she also won’t release it to the public unless there was “a process at the end of this that would allow it”. She suggested there was <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-22/nsw-police-boss-defends-call-not-to-watch-95yo-being-tasered/102376328">no value</a> in reviewing the footage until she knew “what else happened pre and post that incident”. <h2>Questions must be asked</h2> In the absence of greater transparency and reporting on Taser use by police, it is unlikely much will change. Asking the right questions about the patterns of Taser use in all jurisdictions is now vital if we are to learn anything from the events that unfolded in Cooma and ensure Tasers are not disproportionately used against vulnerable and marginalised people.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206085/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-ryan-273878">Emma Ryan</a>, Lecturer in Criminology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-doesnt-australia-have-greater-transparency-around-taser-use-by-police-206085">original article</a>.

Legal

New details emerge on Clare Nowland's tasering

New details have emerged following the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clare-nowland-dies-officer-charged" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a> of great-grandmother Clare Nowland who passed away after being tasered by police. It has been revealed an officer allegedly asked Nowland to “stop” several times during negotiations with her to drop a steak knife before saying “bugger it” as he deployed his taser. Not long before Nowland died, surrounded by her family, police charged Senior Constable Kristian White with three offences including recklessly causing previous bodily harm. Police have alleged Nowland, who used a walking frame, was holding a steak knife when the officer said “stop” several times, and “drop it”. The 95-year-old, who suffers from dementia, then raised the knife to chest height in the direction of his colleague. The senior constable asked her to stop before allegedly saying “bugger it” as he deployed the taser. White is currently suspended with pay and has been charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault. "He is very distressed. He's concerned for not only his own welfare but the welfare of all people involved in this matter," White's lawyer Warwick Anderson said. "He was at home in bed shortly before he got called out to attend a nursing home and I don't think that there's any dispute that on his way to this job in his wildest dreams it would unfold in the way it may have.” His client will be defending the charges. "At this stage I'd anticipate he would enter a plea of not guilty - all of these matters will be reviewed when a brief of evidence is received," Anderson said. While the charges could advance to manslaughter, investigators must wait until the results of an autopsy as they need to prove the tasering was a direct cause of the injuries sustained that led to her death. Friends have remembered the 95-year-old as a much-loved member of her community who adored her family. "I've just noticed up at St Patrick's Church the flag is at half mast which really says to all of us, even if you didn't know her, she was really important to this community," Cooma local Mike Evans said. Nowland was a mother to eight, a grandmother to 24 and a great-grandmother to 31. A friend of hers, Kevin Dunne, often visited Nowland at her nursing home and admired her faith in God and her commitment to being a volunteer. "With Clare the thing that struck me the most was her love of her family," he said. "She's left a wonderful legacy, I think they'll all be inspired by the example of her life." Image credit: 9News / Nine

Caring

Clare Nowland dies, officer charged

Clare Nowland, the great-grandmother who was tasered by police at her Cooma aged care home, has passed away in hospital. The news was confirmed by NSW Police, who said the 95 year old had died “peacefully” with her family surrounding her. Clare was the devoted mother of eight children, grandmother to 24 grandchildren, and great-grandmother to 31, with four more due in 2023. “Our thoughts and condolences remain with those who were lucky enough to know, love, and be loved by Mrs Nowland during a life she led hallmarked by family, kindness and community," they said. Meanwhile, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley offered condolences to Clare’s loved ones - and community - on behalf of the government. Clare had been in hospital for a week, receiving treatment and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/sad-update-on-95-year-old-tasered-in-aged-care-home">end of life care</a> following the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/furious-response-to-95-yr-old-woman-tasered-by-police">May 17 incident at Yallambee Lodge</a>, where police had been called out when Clare - who had dementia - had been holding a steak knife. She had been using a walking frame at the time, and “moving at a slow pace” according to police, when Senior Constable Kristian White tasered her. Clare then fell, hitting her head, and fracturing her skull. 33-year-old White was charged only hours before Clare’s passing, with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault. He was suspended from duty - controversially, on full pay - and is expected to face court on July 5. However, Webb previously noted that there was a chance the charges could be upgraded in the event that circumstances surrounding the incident changed. “In NSW, you’re innocent until proven guilty,” she added. “He is afforded the same as any other resident. "It is possible [the charges could be upgraded], it depends on what happens." Webb had also explained that she had not yet viewed the police body-cam footage from the day, but that she wanted to review it with a better idea of what had actually transpired. Pressure for Catley to watch it had been mounting as well, in time with growing concerns over public confidence in law enforcement. The police force drew criticism from all over for their response - with Webb defending officers in the wake of the story breaking nationally, and globally - though a critical incident investigation squad was set into motion by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad, with NSW Police assuring that “investigations into the critical incident will continue.” However, as Webb said, “this is one incident out of many many calls for service, over two million calls for service every year that we respond to for all sorts of things. "So I'm sure that the community can be reassured that New South Wales Police will carry on with the job that we always do." Images: 9News / Nine

News

Karl grills police commissioner over near-fatal tasering

Karl Stefanovic has grilled the NSW police commissioner over the devastating near-fatal tasering of a 95-year-old woman. The Today host told Commissioner Karen Webb that there was “a lot riding” on the investigation into the tragic accident, which has left Clare Nowland fighting for her life. Karl asked if there was any other way the police officers could’ve handled the situation, to which Commissioner Webb responded, “We don’t know that.” “We don’t know why the aged-care facility called the police in the first place. “Police officers are trained in a number of tactical options to use the least amount of force.” “Until we actually understand why, we won’t really know.” A senior constable was stood down by NSW Police earlier this week over the incident, while detectives investigate the circumstances surrounding the tasering. Ms Nowland, who is now receiving <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/sad-update-on-95-year-old-tasered-in-aged-care-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">end-of-life care</a>, is believed to have been standing at her walking frame with a knife before she was tasered by police. As a result, the aged care resident fell to the floor and hit her head. As the incident garnered attention across the country, pressure has mounted on NSW police for them to release the footage of the tasering captured on the officer’s body-worn camera. Ms Webb doubled down on her decision to not release the video, as well as her own refusal to view it. “People can’t reconcile the fact that you haven’t looked at this video. They just can’t fathom why you wouldn’t have,” Stefanovic said. In reply, Ms Webb said, “As a decision maker, I may watch this video when all the evidence comes before me.” “But, by watching that video now won‘t make the investigation go faster.” “I need these detectives who are the best in NSW to work through this methodically, follow a process and then I’ll review it as a whole.” Ms Webb justified her stance by saying the local police commander was told by the family they did not want the video to be released at the moment. Despite this, she admitted she understood criticism around her decision to not watch the video, and it potentially poorly portrayed police. “It (the video) may not look good at all,” Ms Webb said. “We need to work through the facts and not speculate.” Ms Webb would not confirm how long the investigation would take or when it would deliver its findings. Image credits: Today

Sad update on 95-year-old tasered in aged care home

Clare Nowland, the 95-year-old woman tasered by police in her Cooma aged care home, is receiving end of life care in the wake of the horrific ordeal. Her family - while demanding answers from police officials - have kept vigil at Clare’s bedside, according to her priest, Father Mark Croker. Father Croker had visited Clare in hospital, and said mass, five days after she was tasered. “She looks peaceful,” he told The Daily Telegraph, “she’s not conscious but she certainly looks comfortable.” He reported that Clare’s family - her eight children and their relations - had been taking it in turns to speak to her, noting that “they say the last of your senses to go is your hearing, so we know she can hear us. “The thing with Clare is the dementia hadn’t completely taken hold, you could still have a conversation with her … she might get a bit confused, but that’s an age thing”. He went on to share that he had been with Clare in that same hospital just a week before, when she had been there over a minor illness. “We had a good conversation,” he revealed. “Her daughter was there too … she had her knitting with her, which was her thing in later life, she was in very good form.” Things had taken a sharp turn for the 95 year old, however, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/furious-response-to-95-yr-old-woman-tasered-by-police">when police and paramedics were called to her Yallambee Lodge aged care facility</a> over reports that Clare was holding a steak knife, and staff were requesting assistance. When officers failed to disarm her, a senior constable with 12 years of experience used his taser on her. Clare consequently fell backwards, and received critical head injuries. As family friend and community advocate Andrew Thaler has reported, Clare’s family are “distraught” over the force used against her, and want an explanation. “They want answers,” he said, “as does the community … but they are scared because they’ve been told not to talk publicly. “This is possibly the oldest person on the planet to be tasered, there really are no words for this.” Those answers may come from the ongoing investigation into the incident, with NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb revealing that she had gone to speak with Clare’s family about “the investigation and the process. “And more importantly, listening to them. We talked about their mother and the very rich, full life that she’s had.” The events of the tragic day were also captured on body cameras, and while police officials have no intentions of releasing the footage due to its “confronting” nature, according to Webb “the best detectives in New South Wales are on this case. “They’ve come from Homicide Squad … So I have every confidence that is being handled in a different way now.” Webb added that she thought it was “quite rare” for law enforcement to be called to a nursing home, “and if in the fullness of this investigation we come to learn that we need to better equip our officers to deal with dementia patients then we will do so.” Images: ABC

Caring

Furious response to 95-yr-old woman tasered by police

A 95-year-old woman with dementia is in critical condition after being tasered by police officers at her aged care home. Clare Nowland, a mother of eight, was reportedly found by staff holding a knife at Yallambee Lodge near Cooma. Nursing home workers then called police before officers attempted to disarm the great-grandmother. A critical incident investigation has since been launched by the New South Wales Police, with police commissioner Karen Webb confirming that it will be subject to independent review. “My thoughts are with the family at this difficult time,” she said in a statement. "I understand and share the community’s concerns and assure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness." And while the police look into the incident, a group representing people with disabilities - People with Disability Australia - has criticised the steps taken by police at the aged care facility. "She’s either one hell of an agile, fit, fast, and intimidating 95-year-old woman, or there’s a very poor lack of judgement on those police officers and there really needs to be some accountability on their side of this," the organisation’s president, Nicole Lee, said. “This woman, an older woman of 95, needed somebody to de-escalate the situation with her and to talk to her, and to handle her with compassion and time and not tasers. "Clearly, there's not enough training for police around de-escalation tactics for people with psychosis or Alzheimer's or dementia, for people living with psychosocial disability, autism, or schizophrenia, or anything like that." She went on to note that more needed to be done within the aged-care sector itself to handle incidents that involved people with dementia without the use of force, and that the actions by police officers in Cooma demonstrates “a failure of protocols” or perhaps a “lack of resources or understanding on their behalf on the service's behalf on how to handle this situation." Margaret Crothers, a spokesperson for NSW Seniors Rights Service, added that commenting on the case was no easy feat without more information - especially with Clare’s family declining to comment on the situation - but agreed that what transpired did not reflect “normal practice”. “It must raise concerns,” she said, “no one wants their grandmother or their mother tasered. “Everyone is concerned about the use of restraint and certainly the use of force from either police or staff and it’s just something that everyone is mindful of in aged care." Images: ABC News / ABC

Caring

Mum demands answers after police taser teenage daughter with cerebral palsy

A Queensland mother is demanding answers from police after the police tasered her teenage daughter who has cerebral palsy at her Townsville school. Police say that the girl began damaging property and lunged at an officer after they went to her school to speak to her about a separate matter on Thursday. “She’s got cerebral palsy, she has seizures, and she’s only got the use of one hand and she’s not very good on her legs, so why taser her,” the unnamed mother has told the ABC. The mother says she learned what happened when a child safety officer called and let her know that her daughter was in hospital. “She said that they tasered her twice, they had her handcuffed to the bed,” the mother said. “They said that she had a cricket bat and she was smashing things with it.” The woman has said she will lodge a complaint with police. Police have since issued a statement confirming the incident. “A 16-year-old girl has sustained minor injuries after being subject to a taser deployment at an educational facility in Mundingburra,” police said. “The girl was speaking with officers in relation to a separate matter when she allegedly became aggressive and started damaging property. As police and staff attempted to calm the girl she lunged at an officer who subsequently deployed their taser.” The girl was taken to hospital but not seriously injured. Her mother says that the girl suffered bruises to her stomach.

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Furious response to 95-yr-old woman tasered by police

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Our Partners

News

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Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

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Twist for cop accused of killing Clare Nowland

Major update in fatal tasering charges

Family horrified by police statement on tasering of Clare Nowland

Officer charged with fatal tasering causes chaos in court

Brisbane officer captured punching and tasering motorist

"Wonderful celebration of her life": Clare Nowland's fond farewell

Why doesn’t Australia have greater transparency around Taser use by police?

New details emerge on Clare Nowland's tasering

Clare Nowland dies, officer charged

Karl grills police commissioner over near-fatal tasering

Sad update on 95-year-old tasered in aged care home

Furious response to 95-yr-old woman tasered by police

Mum demands answers after police taser teenage daughter with cerebral palsy

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