Police Officer Who Used Taser on 95-Year-Old Woman Convicted of Manslaughter: Reports

A police officer has been found guilty of manslaughter after he used a taser on a 95-year-old woman at a nursing home in Australia.

Senior Constable Kristian White, 34, was convicted at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney on Wednesday, Nov. 27 over the death of Clare Nowland, whom he tasered for being armed with a steak knife at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma on May 17, 2023, per multiple outlets including ABC News Australia, CNN and 7 News Australia.

White was convicted after days of deliberation from a 12-person jury, according to the outlets. The manslaughter charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in New South Wales.

The incident happened after White and another officer were called to the nursing home at around 5:00 a.m. on May 17, 2023, over concerns that Nowland had been seen holding two steak knives and walking into the rooms of other residents, reported ABC News Australia.

The officers then exchanged words with the elderly lady — who reportedly had dementia — for around three minutes, during which they warned her that they were armed with a taser, the outlet added.

Tragically, Nowland refused to drop a steak knife she was holding and stood up. At this point, White said “bugger it” and used his taser.

ABC News Australia reported that Nowland fell and hit her head after being tasered and was transported to Cooma Hospital in New South Wales where she died a week later from an inoperable brain bleed.

“I felt it was my only option at the time to ensure a safe resolution of the incident,” White — who was suspended from duty after the incident — said in court on Wednesday, per CNN.

“I completely understand it was going to cause her some sort of injury and pain, but I felt that the risk had elevated to the point that it required a resolution … I was not going to gamble on the risk of having her out in the corridor.”

New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said following the verdict that Nowland’s death was “a terrible tragedy” and “should never have happened.”

She added that White’s employment is now “under review” and “subject to a legal process” that will continue in the oncoming days.

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Nowland’s family was present in court on Wednesday. In a statement they said that they “will take some time to come to terms with the jury’s confirmation that Clare’s death at the hands of a serving NSW police officer was a criminal and unjustified act,” reported 7News Australia.  

Crown Prosecutor Brett Hatfield called White’s actions “utterly unnecessary,” according to CNN. “This was not a mere breach of the standard of care. This was such an utterly unnecessary and obviously excessive use of force on Mrs. Nowland that it warrants punishment for manslaughter,” he said.

White was released on bail and will be sentenced at a later date, according to multiple reports. PEOPLE has reached out to the NSW Police and Supreme Court for further comment.