Tasered grandmother: Police minister Yasmin Catley breaks her silence on Clare Nowland tasering
The new NSW police minister has spoken out after being accused of being ‘missing’ after a cop tasered a 95-year-old great-grandmother.
Yasmin Catley has spoken publicly for the first time since Clare Nowland was tasered at a retirement home in Cooma just after 4am last Wednesday.
The demented woman, who weighs just 43kg, was holding a steak knife as she ‘slowly’ approached a police officer at Yallambie Lodge in southern NSW.
Senior Constable Kristian White, 33, then fired a Taser at Ms Nowland, causing her to fall to the floor, hit her head and suffer a brain hemorrhage. She receives care at the end of her life in the hospital.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb has refused to release or even view bodycam footage of the incident because she is “concerned” that the public will want to see it.
Ms Catley declined to answer whether she would watch the video and said the police investigation into the “shocking” incident should be allowed to “go its normal way without any prejudice or interference”.
Clare Nowland is now receiving end-of-life care at Cooma District Hospital, in southern NSW, after being tasered by an officer early Wednesday morning
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley declined to answer whether she would view bodycam footage of the incident, saying the police investigation into the “shocking” incident should be “allowed to proceed as normal without any prejudice or interference”
“I extend my sincere condolences and, of course, my deepest sympathy to the Nowland family,” she told the Daily Telegraph.
The police minister accused opposition MPs of ‘politicising’ the incident, as she revealed that a worker at the retirement home had ‘received at least one death threat’.
“That there is a very serious investigation going on, which we know is being led by the Homicide Division,” she told parliament on Tuesday.
“I support the work they do.”
NSW Police are investigating a ‘verbal threat’ made by an employee at the Yallambie Lodge retirement home, which is run by Cooma Council.
In response to her comments, Liberal leader Mark Speakman accused Ms Catley of ‘missing in action’ and called for the police investigation to be made public once it is completed.
It comes as a former magistrate lashes out at the police commissioner for refusing to view or release the bodycam footage despite international outcry.
David Heilpern, dean of law at Southern Cross University, argued that “every night on the news” police release video of accused criminals being arrested, often even in their underwear.
Mr Heilpern, who was Australia’s youngest magistrate when he was first appointed in 1998 and retired in 2020, said the public had every right to see the video and expressed Ms Webb’s reluctance to look at it. look did not understand.
Despite fierce public backlash, police footage of the incident has not been released, nor even viewed by Police Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured)
Ms Nowland’s family are at her bedside in hospital after being tasered nearly a week ago
“Every night on the news when the police raid an organized criminal there is an included police video broadcast and you can bet those people pictured in their underwear being dragged from their homes are not authorized have given for those videos to be shown,” Mr Heilpern told Daily Mail Australia.
NSW Police shares a vision with the media every day about the arrest of accused criminals. Sometimes they are still handcuffed in their underwear, with only their faces blurred to protect their privacy.
“Suddenly there’s a reason why (police) can’t show this video,” Mr Heilpern said.
David Heilpern, the dean of law at Southern Cross University, said footage of the Tasering should be made public
“I’ve looked at the law and I really think the police should be asked – what’s the difference? A very different standard seems to be applied to this case.”
Mr Heilpern said that in the tragic event of Ms Nowland’s death, she would not be able to consent and that there would be no legal barriers to releasing the images.
“I think the video should be released,” he said.
“There is no reason why I can see a difference between videos shared of perpetrators and these types of videos.
“It’s a public safety issue, people are concerned and they are concerned about their own family members.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb has refused to release or even view bodycam footage of the incident because she is “concerned” that the public will want to see it.
“I’m not actually the detective and the important thing here is that the detectives do their job and let them do their job without me interfering,” she told Sunrise Tuesday morning.
“Whether I watch the video or not, this investigation is not going to get any faster.
That’s the point I’m trying to make, I need to let these detectives, the investigative team do their job without worrying about who saw it and who didn’t.’
Senior Constable White has since been suspended with pay, NSW police confirmed on Tuesday. As the investigation progresses, there is plenty of speculation about whether he can be charged.
Senior Officer Kristian White is pictured during a police parade
NSW Police Senior Constable Kristian White (pictured) has been suspended with pay
No charges have been filed since then, but an internal investigation into critical incidents is ongoing.
Mr Heilpern said it comes down to whether the inquiry can show that Constable White’s actions were what a ‘reasonable’ officer would have done in that situation.
Comments made by the police officer before the Taser was fired would be central to the investigation.
Senior Constable White is a former firefighter and police officer with 12 years experience, who has a wife and a young baby.
He had worked in the Monaro command for at least three years, conducting domestic violence and other crime investigations.
Mr. White is reported to be 188 cm tall and weigh about 140 kg, more than three times the height of Mrs. Nowland who weighs 43 kg and is 157 cm tall.
Her family has since issued a statement while staying at her bedside.
Senior police officers arrive at Cooma Hospital on Tuesday
“The Nowland family would like to express our deep love and affection for our mother, Nana and great-grandmother Clare,” the statement begins.
‘Respected, much loved and a generous member of her local community, Clare is the loving and gentle matriarch of the Nowland family.
“This is a very worrying and distressing time for our family and we are united in our support for Clare and each other.
“We stand together. We thank everyone here in Cooma, the wider region and in fact the entire country and the rest of the world for the outpouring of support for her and her ongoing battle with dementia – it affects so many.
“While we fully understand the interest of the media, we kindly ask all media representatives to respect the privacy of the family – and Clare’s – at this very difficult time. Thanks everyone.’