The Supreme Court trial of a New South Wales Police officer charged with manslaughter of a great-grandmother, who was tasered at her aged care home, has begun. Prosecutors allege Kristian White’s use of force exceeded what was necessary, but his defence team insists he had a duty to prevent harm and a breach of the peace.
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00:00Early in the morning at this Cooma aged care facility last May, staff called 000 about
00:08an aggressive resident.
00:10Ninety-five-year-old Claire Nowland was holding a knife and slowly approaching two police
00:14officers with her walker while they tried to speak to her in an administration room.
00:20On the first day of Senior Constable Christian White's trial, jurors heard body-worn cameras
00:24captured what followed.
00:26The accused said, bugger it, and deliberately discharged his taser towards Mrs Nowland who
00:31fell backwards and sustained what was a fatal head injury.
00:35The great-grandmother died a week later in hospital where family members had maintained
00:39a vigil.
00:41The Crown argues the use of the taser constitutes manslaughter by criminal negligence or unlawful
00:46or dangerous act.
00:48The 34-year-old officer has pleaded not guilty.
00:51The jury was told the evidence will explore whether Christian White's actions exceeded
00:55the force that was reasonably necessary with regard to Claire Nowland's age and lack of
01:01mobility.
01:02The Crown argues the officer owed a duty of care to Mrs Nowland who had shown signs of
01:06dementia but was not diagnosed.
01:09Christian White's lawyer says his client had a duty to protect police, paramedics, nursing
01:14staff and Mrs Nowland herself from harm and prevent a breach of peace.
01:19A breach of the peace is exactly what was occurring and it continued until he discharged
01:24his taser on Mrs Nowland.
01:26The defence says Christian White's case hasn't changed since he made an internal police record
01:31on the day.
01:32As a violent confrontation was imminent and to prevent injury to police, the taser was
01:37discharged.
01:38The trial is expected to run for up to three weeks.