SYDNEY, Australia — A police officer in Australia has been convicted of manslaughter for using a Taser on a 95-year-old nursing home resident. The verdict was rendered by a jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney after 20 hours of deliberation. The incident involved Clare Nowland, a great-grandmother suffering from dementia, who was refusing to drop a steak knife when Sen Const Kristian James Samuel White discharged his Taser at her in May 2023.

Nowland, a resident at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma, fell backwards after being shocked, sustaining a head injury. She ultimately succumbed to her injuries a week later while in the hospital.

This unusual case prompted an extensive internal investigation within the New South Wales police and sparked discussions regarding the use of Tasers by officers in the region, given their capacity to incapacitate individuals with electric shock.

At the time of her passing, police officials stated that Nowland’s fatal injuries were due to her hitting her head on the ground, rather than resulting directly from the electrical shock of the Taser.

During the trial, video evidence was shown capturing White’s actions. The 34-year-old officer was heard saying “nah, bugger it” before he deployed the Taser, after repeatedly instructing Nowland to drop the knife a total of 21 times. White testified that he learned in training that anyone carrying a knife poses a risk, according to local reports.

However, after an eight-day trial, the jury dismissed the defense’s contention that using the Taser was a reasonable response to the situation, asserting that Nowland, who weighed approximately 100 pounds, did not pose a significant threat.

The prosecutor presented the case that White’s actions were “utterly unnecessary and obviously excessive,” as reported by local news channels. In New South Wales, a manslaughter conviction can result in a prison sentence of up to 25 years, but White remains on bail while awaiting sentencing.

Clare Nowland is survived by her eight children, along with 24 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren, highlighting the impact of her loss on a large family.