TV presenter attacks police commissioner who refuses to view or release bodycam video of 95-year-old great-grandmother of agent Tasering: ‘Completely hopeless’
- Sky News presenter Sharri Markson unleashes top agent
- Markson says Karen Webb has shown “no leadership.”
Sky News Australia presenter Sharri Markson has opened up to NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, calling her “completely hopeless” over her handling of the Tasering of a 95-year-old great-grandmother.
Despite international outcry over the incident, Commissioner Webb has refused to view bodycam footage of demented Clare Nowland being tasered.
Ms Nowland, who weighs 43kg, was tasered after refusing to drop a steak knife while ‘slowly’ approaching an officer in her walker at Yallambie Lodge in southern NSW at around 4am last Wednesday.
‘We didn’t see any guidance on this. The police commissioner, as you know, is utterly hopeless,” Markson said Wednesday night.
“Instead of showing any sense of empathy or understanding for how angry everyone is, she has suggested that the police should not be called to nursing homes.”
Sky News Australia host Sharri Markson (pictured) has let loose on NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, calling her ‘completely hopeless’ over her handling of the Tasering of a 95-year-old great-grandmother
Sharri Markson said Police Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured) has shown no leadership
Markson said Commissioner Webb was evasive, that it wasn’t about whether or not police were called to nursing homes.
“Police must have common sense not to fire a gun or taser at an elderly woman on a Zimmer frame who moves slowly and weighs only 100 pounds,” she said.
The presenter said it is in the NSW Police’s own rules not to use a taser on the elderly.
She said the situation was then made worse by what happened after Ms Nowland was tasered.
“Police sent to investigate what happened reportedly took off her clothes and her pajamas to investigate.
She would have been left naked in the hospital in her own bed. The humiliation is terrible,” she said.
Markson added that police are “running for cover”.
Clare Nowland (pictured), who weighs 43kg, was tasered after she refused to drop a steak knife while ‘slowly’ approaching an officer in her walker at Yallambie Lodge in southern NSW around 4am last Wednesday.
“What happened to Clare Nowland is the biggest police scandal in years and yet our police and political leadership are lacking. It’s terrible.’
She accused Commissioner Webb of “going into hiding first and now acting defensively.”
The presenter added that NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley ‘is still in hiding and refusing to conduct interviews.
“A full week since Clare was taseredand Catley didn’t give an interview at all. Not one.
“Instead, she stood up in parliament and accused the Liberal Party of politicizing this matter and said the inquiry should just be allowed to run its course…
“It’s just incredible to know that this is the biggest story and this is what the police minister is saying. Horrible.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both the Police Commissioner and the Police Minister for comment.