A Cooma police officer has been charged with manslaughter after 95-year-old Clare Nowland was Tasered in her nursing home on May 17.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 33-year-old senior constable Kristian White had been charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault before the charge was upgraded.
On advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad laid the upgraded charge on November 29.
White allegedly Tasered Ms Nowland after she was asked repeatedly by nursing home staff, paramedics and police to drop a serrated knife.
A statement of facts presented to the court by NSW Police alleges White warned Ms Nowland to drop the knife before saying "stop just ... na bugger it" before deploying his Taser.
Ms Nowland died in hospital on May 24.
Prosecutors said White's actions were a "grossly disproportionate response and excessive use of force to the threat posed", given Mrs Nowland's age and infirmity.
Police said White remains suspended from duty with pay and will appear at the Cooma Local Court on December 6.
Anna Houlahan
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
