Grandmother tasered: Police Commissioner Karen makes a shocking admission

The NSW Police commissioner has admitted that she hasn’t spoken to the officer who Tasered a 95-year-old great-grandmother leaving her requiring end-of-life care. 

Clare Nowland, a dementia sufferer who is 157cm tall and weighs just 43kg, was Tasered by a senior constable at an aged care facility in Cooma, NSW, about 4am on Wednesday.

The mother-of-eight was using a walking frame when she was hit with the shock device at Yallambee Lodge. She had allegedly failed to drop a steak knife.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has already copped criticism for saying she would not be watching the officer’s body-worn camera footage of the incident. 

And she also raised eyebrows after appearing on Sky News on Monday morning, when she confirmed she had not spoken to the officer involved in the incident.

Asked directly by host Laura Jayes if she had addressed the policeman, she said: ‘No, I haven’t. I will do at some point, as I said, it is an ongoing live investigation.

‘He’s being looked after by police from his command and when it’s the appropriate time then I will speak to him.’ 

Clare Nowland is now receiving end of life care in Cooma District Hospital, in southern NSW , after she was critically injured last Wednesday morning 

Discussing the body cam footage, Webb underlined her decision to watch it until the investigation into the confrontation was complete. 

She said: ‘I want to make an informed decision with access to the whole evidence. The body-worn is evidence and if I view that now without having the opportunity to view all of the evidence at one time, it might taint my view of this matter. 

‘It is important that I have an objective view and I will do that when I have the rest of the evidence in this investigation.

‘I haven’t watched it. If I need to watch it as a decision maker at some point, I will do so.’ 

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb defended the decision to leave out the fact Ms Nowland had been Tasered by officers when an original statement on the matter was released

She first sparked outrage on Saturday after she claimed it was ‘not necessary’ to view the footage of the incident.

Police had said Ms Nowland was ‘armed’ with a steak knife and had been moving at a ‘slow pace’ before she was Tasered and left in a critical condition.

Officers claim she was approaching police ‘at a slow pace’ when she was blasted with the Taser by a senior constable with 12 years’ experience. 

The jolt caused her to fall and hit her head, with the great-grandmother now receiving end-of-life care in Cooma District Hospital while surrounded by her family. 

Why police media release had no mention of ‘Taser’ 

Webb and NSW police have also copped heat for their initial statement on the confrontation – which the commissioner approved.

That statement failed to mention the Taser and only said there had been an ‘interaction’ between the great-grandmother and police.

2GB Radio host Ben Fordham also grilled Webb on Monday, asking why the original NSW statement on the matter did not inform the public what had really happened. 

‘It was necessary for us to make sure that the family were aware of what the circumstances were,’ Commissioner Webb responded.

‘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.’

The broadcaster then questioned if the decision to not mention the Tasering was really about protecting Ms Nowland’s family, or ‘hiding something that might be embarrassing or shameful for the police?’.

‘We are not hiding. I want answers as do the family,’ the commissioner said, adding she had seen the original statement put out. 

‘I thought it was important that we were mindful of the family.’

Mrs Nowland's family is now demanding answers as to what happened at Yallambee Lodge nursing home (pictured) last Wednesday

Mrs Nowland’s family is now demanding answers as to what happened at Yallambee Lodge nursing home (pictured) last Wednesday

Fordham then asked if she stood by the decision to leave out the Tasering in the media release – which she admitted she had seen before it was sent out.

‘Yes I do, as I said the Nowland family deserve to learn from police what happened rather than hear about it in the media,’ Commissioner Webb said.

The officer who fired the electric shock weapon joined the force 12 years ago and has since been taken off active duty.

The critical incident investigation has been elevated to ‘level one’ because of Ms Nowland suffering an injury that could lead to her death.

Detectives from the State Homicide Squad and Law Enforcement Conduct Commission are investigating what happened and if the forced used was appropriate. 

Local priest, Father Mark Croker, visited Ms Nowland on Sunday and held a Catholic mass at her hospital bedside.  He said although Mrs Nowland had dementia, she had been in good form and was able to hold a conversation.

‘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,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.

TIMELINE OF CLARE NOWLAND BEING TASERED BY OFFICER 

Wednesday, May 17, 4am: Police are called to the Yallambee Lodge nursing home

Clare Nowland was standing in the kitchen with a serrated steak knife

A senior constable fired his Taser into the great grandmother’s chest and back

Ms Nowland fell backwards, striking her head on the floor and was taken to hospital with a fractured skull and brain bleed

Wednesday, May 17, 4.41pm: NSW Police release a statement saying a critical investigation had been launched after an ‘elderly woman sustained injuries during an interaction with police at an aged care facility’

Friday morning, May 19: Community advocate Andrew Thaler told Daily Mail Australia on that Ms Nowland was now receiving end of life care in hospital

Saturday, May 20: NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she has no intention to release the body-worn police vision of the incident or even see it herself

Monday, May 22: Commissioner Webb defends the original police statement where the matter was referred to as an ‘interaction’ and left out the fact Ms Nowland had been tasered 

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