Elderly Cooma woman tasered by police is ‘peaceful’ in hospital

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb continues to come under fire after a 95-year-old dementia patient was Tasered and knocked unconscious inside a NSW aged care facility.

A decision not to watch body-worn camera footage of an elderly woman being Tasered by police has been defended by NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

Commissioner Webb was forced to address comments made last week as public outrage over the incident grows.

Clare Nowland, 95, continues to receive end of life care at Cooma Hospital, five days after she was Tasered and knocked unconscious inside an aged care facility, sending shockwaves internationally.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb on Monday addressed criticism she wouldn’t watch police footage of the incident.

“In the end I might (watch it) but I need to have it in the context of all the other statements and evidence and I’m waiting for that to occur,” Commissioner Webb told 2GB.

Clare Nowland was tasered by police at an aged care home in Cooma.

Clare Nowland skydiving to celebrate her 80th birthday in 2008. Picture: ABC News

“It’s important that we follow a process – I’ve said that from the beginning and it’s going to take time.

“I don’t want it to taint the rest of the investigation and when I see the whole investigation I will make my determination impartially.”

Commissioner Webb also defended a decision by NSW Police to not release the fact Mrs Nowland was Tasered during the incident.

“Early in the investigation it was necessary to make sure the family knew what the circumstances were,” Commissioner Webb told 2GB.

Yallambee Lodge in Cooma where Clare Nowland was tasered. Picture: Sam Turner

“It is a very sensitive matter, unusual, and we all want answers and it’s appropriate that we think about that family and respect that.

“We didn’t want the family to hear on radio and TV what had happened to their mum, so we had to be a bit sensitive to that and when we were able to talk about it, we did.

“We are not hiding anything … I want answers as do the family.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns backed NSW Police’s ability to carry out an investigation into the incident.

“I’ve got confidence that this inquiry will be with experienced deceives that take charge,” Mr Minns told 2GB.

“They are being overseen by homicide squad (and) my heart goes out to the Clare Nowland family.”

Commissioner Webb and Mr Minns’ comments follow Cooma locals speaking of their love and respect for Mrs Nowland.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has been on the backfoot ever since the Tasering of Clare Nowland. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

Father Mark Croker told The Daily Telegraph he visited Mrs Nowland in hospital on Sunday and said mass at her bedside.

An earlier church service at St Patrick’s was also dedicated to Mrs Nowland who used to be an active member of the parish and local community.

“She looks peaceful, she’s not conscious but she certainly looks comfortable,” Fr Croker said.

Mrs Nowland’s eight children and their families have kept a vigil at the hospital, taking turns being in the room and speaking to their mum, who was only in the early stages of dementia.

“They are a big family, so they’re coming in and out … but they’re speaking to Clare, they say the last of your senses to go is your hearing, so we know she can hear us,” Fr Croker said.

“The thing with Clare is the dementia hadn’t completely taken hold, you could still have a conversation with her … she might get a bit confused, but that’s an age thing”.

Fr Croker last spoke to Mrs Nowland a week earlier when she was in hospital for a minor illness.

“We had a very good conversation, her daughter was there too … she had her knitting with her which was her thing in later life, she was in very good form,” he said.

But at about 4am last Wednesday, staff at Yallambee Lodge aged care facility called police and paramedics saying Mrs Nowland was holding a steak knife and they needed help.

A senior constable of 12 years experience used his taser to disarm the frail, 43kg woman, who fell backwards and hit her head, causing critical head injuries.

Family friend and community advocate Andrew Thaler said Mrs Nowland’s children and grandchildren were distraught by the level of force used on the elderly woman.

“They want answers, as does the community … but they are scared because they’ve been told not to talk publicly,” Mr Thaler said.

“This is possibly the oldest person on the planet to be tasered, there really are no words for this.”

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the best officers in the state were tasked with investigating how this happened to Mrs Nowland.

She said the officer at the centre of the investigation was “not on office duties” and was being monitored by colleagues.