Inquest into Death of Clare Nowland Aims to Answer 'Outstanding Questions'

Coverage Overview

The inquest into the death of Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old great-grandmother who died after being tasered by a NSW police officer in May 2023, concluded its three-day hearing in Queanbeyan, with the coroner aiming to address "outstanding questions" surrounding the incident. The inquest has explored how emergency services responded to the situation and has focused on systemic issues, including dementia care and training for aged care staff, police, and ambulance officers.

Key Events and Findings

Clare Nowland, a resident at Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Cooma, New South Wales, was found wandering the facility with two knives and entering other residents' rooms. A staff member called Triple Zero (000), and two police officers and two paramedics were dispatched. Upon arrival, they found Mrs. Nowland in a room holding a steak knife against her walker. Within three minutes of the exchange, then-Senior Constable Kristian White deployed his taser, saying "Nah, bugger it." Mrs. Nowland fell, hit her head, and died a week later from a brain bleed.

White was found guilty of manslaughter by a NSW Supreme Court jury in 2024 and was sentenced to a two-year community correction order with 425 hours of community service. An appeal against the non-custodial sentence was dismissed last year.

The inquest, presided over by State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan, heard that many of the facts surrounding Mrs. Nowland's death were not in dispute. The focus, according to counsel assisting Sophie Callan, was on systemic issues and recommendations to prevent similar incidents. Callan noted that the death "rocked her family, the local community and the broader NSW community to its core."

Emergency Services Testimony

NSW Ambulance officers Martin Nichols, Alan Morrison, and Sheryl Baker testified about their roles in clinical practice, education, and professional engagement. Alan Morrison, after reviewing body-worn police camera footage, said that as a paramedic he would have "highly emphasised that we have plenty of time" and that the situation was secure, allowing for a more measured approach to safely resolve the situation. He acknowledged that emergency services could have taken more time to respond.

Senior counsel assisting Sophie Callan asked the ambulance officers about their perspectives on the roles of police and ambulance at the scene. The officers noted that while police priority was to ensure public safety, the primary role of NSW Ambulance was clinical care and patient advocacy.

Family Statements and Advocacy

Members of Mrs. Nowland's extended family, including children and grandchildren, attended the inquest, wearing pins with a photo of her inside a heart. On the final day, her daughter Jenny Jordan made a statement, visibly emotional, and said, "Here we are, three years later, still dealing with the tragic circumstances of mum's death, that was taken in less than three minutes." She described her mother as "adventurous," "bold," and "an inspiration."

Outside the inquest, Mrs. Nowland's eldest son, Mick Nowland, spoke about his ongoing quest for answers and accountability. He said, "I've pondered in the last three years, why aren't tasers banned from aged care facilities? If they did that, someone else's mum will be saved." He expressed distress that White remains free in society, stating, "He's killed a 95-year-old person, and he hasn't been made accountable for it."

The family has been advocating for changes to police training and to the use of tasers, particularly in aged care settings.

Systemic Concerns and Future Recommendations

The inquest heard that one in four people over the age of 80 have dementia, and the number of people with dementia is expected to double in the next 20 years. Counsel assisting noted that it was an opportune time to make recommendations that could save lives given Australia's ageing population.

Coroner O'Sullivan stated that the purpose of the inquest was to try to prevent a similar incident from happening to any other elderly person or person with dementia and their family. The inquest is expected to hear evidence from experts regarding the reasonableness of the care and treatment provided to Mrs. Nowland at Yallambee Lodge.

The three-day inquest concluded with the coroner indicating that recommendations would be made to address systemic issues in dementia care and emergency response training.