Police officer no longer being paid after guilty verdict for Taser manslaughter
The NSW police officer found guilty of manslaughter after Tasering 95-year-old Clare Nowland is no longer being paid after his employment status was reviewed following the verdict.
Prosecutors have applied for Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White to be detained after the jury returned their unanimous guilty verdict on Wednesday following an eight-day trial in Sydney.
Senior Constable Kristian White arrives at the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday.Credit: Kate Geraghty
White Tasered Nowland as she stood holding a knife inside Cooma’s Yallambee Lodge on May 17, 2023.
White said, “Nah, bugger it”, before discharging his weapon, which caused Nowland to fall and hit her head. She died in hospital a week later.
White had been suspended from duty with pay for the past 18 months. In the hours after the verdict, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said White’s employment status was under review.
In a statement on Thursday morning, NSW Police said: “Following the verdict in the Supreme Court, a 34-year old officer attached to Monaro Police District was notified on Wednesday he has been suspended from the NSW Police Force without pay.”
Clare Nowland died in hospital a week after being Tasered.
“Regarding the officer’s position in the NSW Police Force, the NSW Police Commissioner is following the procedure mandated under the Police Act 1990, [section] 181D,” the statement said.
Section 181D covers the commissioner’s power to remove an officer from the force after the loss of confidence in their competence, integrity, performance or conduct. Webb said she expects to consider that next week.
