NSW Police emails reveal Clare Nowland timeline as taser-less release criticised

NSW Police Commissioner’s claims the force failed to reveal Clare Nowland was tasered due to the need to ‘notify the family’ first called into question by shock new emails.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: Nikki Short

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s claims the force failed to reveal elderly grandmother Clare Nowland was tasered due to the need to “notify the family” first have been called into question by shock new emails, with MPs accusing senior hierarchy of “covering their tracks”.

The emails – which describe the timeline of how Ms Nowland’s family were informed on May 17 – show Nowland’s next of kin and other family members were briefed on the taser incident before a controversial press release omitting the fact was released.

In May and June, Commissioner Webb told media that there was “no cover up”, rather the force were following procedure to “notify the family”.

“It was necessary for us to make sure that the family were aware of what the circumstances were,” Commissioner Webb told 2GB.

“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.”

Clare Nowland.

In June, the commissioner told the same station: “it was important that investigators informed the Nowland family before they heard it on radio”.

Standing up at NSW parliament on Wednesday, the commissioner declined to answer what the procedures were for notifying family and whether — when she told media in May and June that the release omitted the taser to “notify the family” — she was aware that Ms Nowland’s next of kin and some of her family had already been briefed about the taser.

On May 17, 95-year-old Ms Nowland was fatally tasered after police attended Yallambee Lodge, Cooma, where she lived. She was holding a kitchen knife upon being tasered.

The first press release on the incident was released about 5pm that day, which omitted Ms Nowland was tasered by senior Constable Kristian White, who has since been charged and whose case is before NSW courts.

Deputy Commissioner David Hudson. Picture: David Swift

It was revealed the next day, May 18, how White had shot a taser at Ms Nowland, the first time the critical piece of information had been disclosed.

Subsequently, a GIPA then revealed how, across May 17, an initial press release that included the taser was watered down, culminating in the first release that only described that Ms Nowland “sustained injuries during an interaction with police”, late in the afternoon.

The emails, obtained by The Australian, show correspondence between an inspector in deputy Commissioner David Hudson’s office – who signed off on the 4:41pm press release – and the commissioner’s chief of staff.

The inspector wrote that the incident happened at about 5am before Ms Nowland was transported to Cooma hospital.

“Local detectives responded to Cooma hospital in the morning, (and) on the instruction of Superintendent Klepczarek (Monaro Police District commander) acted as family liaison until his arrival,” the inspector wrote.

The email briefing noted that a “SNOK” – the police term for senior next of kin – was at the hospital, as well as other family members, and briefed by both local detectives and the PAC’s superintendent.

Kristian White. Picture: JenSol Photography

The Australian understands the SNOK was Ms Nowland’s eldest daughter. NSW Police designate the SNOK as the decision maker and main point of contact, and a spokesman confirmed that it was procedure to notify the SNOK, not all extended family.

“On arrival, Mr Klepczarek spoke (to) the SNOK, (name redacted), and other family matters (understood to mean ‘family members’),” the inspector said.

“The family made it very clear they did not want to speak to the media, stressed that they did not want details of the incident released to the media… requested on numerous occasions that they did not want the taser video released to the public.”

NSW MLC Rod Roberts – who requested the documents and a 20-year cop before joining parliament – said he was “disturbed” by the email.

“It appears to reveal what they previously said doesn’t ring true,” Mr Roberts said.

“They said they didn’t inform the public of the true circumstances, as they wanted to speak to the family first – that’s understandable.

“But what we find out is that the family were informed on the day of the incident.”

Mr Roberts said the email appeared to be black and white, and that it was inconceivable the family nor SNOK had not become aware of the incident the moment they arrived at Cooma hospital.

Rod Roberts. Picture: Supplied

“You have local officers acting as the family liaison and the superintendent speaking to the senior next of kin,” he said.

“The senior next of kin isn’t a third cousin once removed.”

In some interviews, Commissioner Webb extended the reasoning to include the need to notify “the extended family” – Ms Nowland has more than 20 great-grandchildren.

Mr Roberts, a former detective who was a senior instructor on the police’s detective training course, said that was “not practice”.

“At no stage were you taught it was necessary to inform the whole extended family,” he said.

“What happens if you can’t get hold of each one of them?

“It (that they omitted the taser so as to tell the entire extended family) seems like an track-covering statement... there appears to be an attempt by the senior hierarchy to cover their tracks.”

NSW Police confirmed it was a requirement to notify the next of kin only, but declined to comment when asked about the timeline and emails, given the matter is before the court system.

However, in June, it said the “approach was consistent with policies”.

“The determination of the content and timing of information released to media on 17 May was made in consideration of Mrs Nowland’s extended family, the gravity of the situation and that the critical investigation team was not on the ground until that evening,” a spokeswoman said.

Ms Nowland, who suffered from dementia, died in hospital on May 24.

White has been charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault.