Kristian White: Cop who killed great-grandmother Clare Nowland avoids immediate jail, continued bail granted

A police officer who fired his Taser on a 95-year-old woman and ended her life will remain on bail ahead of his manslaughter sentence.

Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White discharged his stun gun at Clare Nowland in a treatment room at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern NSW town of Cooma during the early hours of May 17, 2023.

In video footage played at his NSW Supreme Court trial, the 34-year-old officer was heard saying “nah, bugger it” before shooting the great-grandmother in the torso.

Police and paramedics were called to the nursing home after Mrs Nowland grabbed two steak knives from a kitchen before raising them against residents and staff and throwing one at a carer.

White pulled the trigger after only three minutes of negotiations to get Mrs Nowland to put down the remaining knife.

She hit her head on the floor as she fell and died at Cooma hospital a week later.

A jury unanimously found White guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday, with crown prosecutors making a bid to place him behind bars a day later.

Justice Ian Harrison handed down his bail decision on Friday, ruling White could remain out of custody ahead of his sentencing.

The officer’s defence barrister, Troy Edwards SC, previously argued that a prison sentence for the police officer was not inevitable.

Evidence filed with the court shows White would be placed into protective custody for his safety if imprisoned because of his status as a serving police officer.

“The prisoner would be classified as ‘protection non association’ meaning he will not be in the physical presence of other inmates at any time,” wrote Detective Sergeant Mitchell Bosworth of the Homicide Squad.

White’s employment has been suspended without pay while NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb goes through the necessary legal procedures to remove him from the force.

His sentence hearing is expected to be held in February.