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Thursday, December 19, 2024

Court case continues for cop who tasered 95yo woman in Cooma

The case of a NSW police officer who was charged following the death of a 95-year-old woman, after she was tasered in a nursing home, has been mentioned in court.

Lawyers for Senior Constable Kristian White were in Cooma Local Court on Wednesday, when prosecutors confirmed a brief of evidence had been provided to the defence.

White, 33, was not in court, having been previously excused from appearing by Magistrate Roger Clisdell until his committal hearing.

White is charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault related to an event at a Cooma nursing home on May 17.

White is accused of tasering great-grandmother Clare Nowland after she was repeatedly asked by staff, paramedics and police to drop a serrated knife.

A NSW Police statement of facts, previously presented to the court, alleges White warned Ms Nowland to drop the knife before saying “stop just … na bugger it” and deploying his Taser.

Prosecutors have alleged White’s actions were a “grossly disproportionate response and excessive use of force to the threat posed”, given Mrs Nowland’s age and infirmity.

In court on Wednesday, White’s lawyer asked for an eight-week adjournment for a charge certification, which will show all the charges the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions intends to take to trial.

White, who is suspended without pay from the police force, is yet to enter a plea.

The matter will return to Cooma Local Court on December 6.

By Alex Mitchell in Cooma

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