Former police officer Kristian White has been sentenced to a two-year community correction order over the tasering death of 95-year-old great-grandmother Clare Nowland.
The sentencing, handed down Friday morning, involves 425 hours of community service work and means that he will not go to jail.
Almost two years ago, Nowland, who had dementia, was tasered by White and died in her aged care home in Cooma, NSW. This was after police received a call concerning Nowland, who was walking around the facility with the assistance of her walker, carrying two knives and entering other residents’ rooms.
Officers attempted to get Nowland to drop the knife and stop moving before White, who was a senior constable, said “bugger it” and deployed his taser.
Last November, a jury in the NSW Supreme Court charged White with manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years.
However, after this morning’s court appearance, White won’t be spending any time in jail.
As the two-year community correction order was read out, the Nowland family was reportedly seen shaking their heads, according to the ABC. It’s also been reported that White didn’t show any obvious reaction, but his partner was seen crying.
Justice Ian Harrison said White made a “tragic and avoidable error”, when he tasered Nowland, “for reasons that may never be clearly understood, if understood at all”. The Justice added that Nowland couldn’t have gone anywhere quickly.
Giving reasons for the sentencing decision, Justice Harrison said White has already suffered consequences for his actions, such as losing his job and becoming an unwelcome member of the Cooma community.
Justice Harrison also said it would be difficult for White to live in prison, since he was previously a police officer, and that White doesn’t pose a risk of reoffending.
The court heard as well that White sent a one-page letter to Nowland’s family expressing regret for his actions “and the severe consequences it has caused”.
The conditions of White’s sentence include that he must not commit any further offences, he must submit to supervision during his community service work, and he must notify the Supreme Court registry if he changes addresses.