A senior police constable who caused a public uproar after tasering a 95-year-old grandmother has been charged.
Clare Nowland - a resident of the Yallambie Lodge nursing home in New South Wales, Australia - was tasered by 33-year-old Senior Constable Kristian White during a police visit to the assisted living facility.
The 94lb elderly woman with dementia was reportedly holding a steak knife when she started to "slowly" approach the responding officers. White responded by tasering Nowland, causing her to collapse and knock her head.
The Daily Mail reports that Nowland suffered a bleed to the brain as a result of the fall, with family members later stating that Nowland was now receiving end-of-life care in hospital.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, May 17. Police were originally called to the care home after Nowland was found wandering around with a knife.
In repsonse to the incident, Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Cotter said on Friday: "She had a walking frame. But she had a knife."
Now, The Mail has reported that White has been charged by homicide detectives for three offenses: causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault. 9News also reported that charges were brought by the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad.
The charges were reportedly made on Wednesday (May 24).
White is expected to appear at Cooma Local Court on July 5, according to NSW Police.
Responding to the charges, Police Commissioner Karen Webb -- who admitted earlier this week to not watching the footage of the incident -- said in a statement to the media, per ABC.net.au: "There's little more that I can say other than that the Nowland family have been informed of this development and our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs Nowland and her family this evening.
"I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the detectives who worked around the clock on this to get to this point within seven days of that nasty incident involving Mrs Nowland and the serious charges now before the court."
On Tuesday, NSW Police confirmed in a statement that White had been suspended from his duties, but would still be receiving pay while investigations into the incident continue.
Nowland's family has also said in a statement: "The Nowland family wishes to express our profound love and affection for our Mom, Nana and Great Grandmother Clare.
"Well respected, much loved and a giving member of her local community, Clare is the loving and gentle natured matriarch of the Nowland family.
"This is a most worrying and distressing time for our family and we are united in our support for Clare and for each other."
The family statement continued: "We stand together. We thank everyone here in Cooma, the wider region and, in fact, the whole country and around the world for the outpouring of support for her and her ongoing battle with dementia- it touches so many.
"While we fully understand the interest of the media we kindly ask all media representatives to respect the family's - and Clare's - privacy at this very difficult time. Thank you to everyone."
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