Senior Constable Kristian White, 34, was found guilty in November of the manslaughter of Clare Nowland, 95, following a trial in the NSW Supreme Court.
White was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order in the Supreme Court on Friday.
Under the conditions, White is to perform 425 hours of community service and is not to commit any further offence.
Heartbroken members of Nowland’s family cried out loudly as the sentence was handed down.
White had been called to Yallambee Lodge nursing home in Cooma before 5am on May 17, 2023, to assist with Nowland, whom a nurse described as a “very aggressive” resident holding two knives.
Nowland, who used a walking frame to move slowly around the home, was holding a single knife and a penlight when White found her sitting in an office after 5am.
Nursing home staff, paramedics and police can be seen searching for Clare Nowland, 95, in the minutes before she was fatally tasered by Senior Constable Kristian White.
He repeatedly told her to drop the blade during a tense two-minute confrontation before he pointed his service Taser at the great-grandmother and activated the warning signals.
The jury was told Nowland had undiagnosed dementia which made it difficult for her to follow directions. The Taser was pointed at her for a minute before White pulled the trigger.
“Nah … just bugger it,” White said before deploying the Taser probes at her chest.
“Got her.”
Nowland fell backwards and struck her head on the floor. She died in hospital days later.
After four days of deliberation, the jury unanimously found White guilty of manslaughter on November 27 last year.
White was suspended with pay throughout the trial, but was removed from the NSW Police Force days after the verdict was handed down. White is challenging the decision.
Justice Ian Harrison slammed White’s behaviour, deeming his actions “unlawful and dangerous”.
“While I am unable to conclude his actions were either gross or wicked … the tragic fact is that White completely and inexplicably misread and misunderstood the dynamics of the situation,” he told the court.
“Try as I might I am unable to conclude it should not or could not have been handled differently … common sense should have concluded that a frail and confused 95-year-old woman could not expected to be of a threat.
“I am willing to accept the consequences for my actions.”
During an emotional sentence hearing last month, Justice Harrison was told of the devastating impact Nowland’s death had on their entire family, including her young grandkids.
Nowland’s eldest son Michael Nowland said the more he learned about the incident the more “confused” he felt.
“I will never forgive this officer for tasering and killing my mum,” he said.
“Mum did not deserve to have her life end in this manner … she was a caring and dignified lady, but she did not die with dignity.”
Clare Nowland was tasered by police at an aged care home in Cooma.
Michael Nowland told the court his family had also suffered the cruel reality of running into White in the Cooma community while he was on bail.
