As an inquest into the tasering death of Clare Nowland at the hands of a police officer concludes, her family will remember the generous 95-year-old with the hope lessons can be learned.
Then-senior constable Kristian James Samuel White fired his weapon at the great-grandmother after being called to Yallambee Lodge nursing home at Cooma in southern NSW early on the morning of May 17, 2023.
Mrs Nowland, who had symptoms of dementia, had taken two steak knives from a kitchen area and refused to give them up.
Falling and hitting her head after being struck in the chest by the Taser's barbs, she did not regain consciousness and died in hospital a week later after a brain bleed.
A three-day inquest into the tragedy focusing on dementia training for first responders will conclude on Friday with the 95-year-old's family's heartfelt statement.
The great-grandmother's relatives have previously expressed disappointment White did not spend a day in jail after being convicted of manslaughter by a NSW Supreme Court jury in November 2024.
He was given a two-year good behaviour bond in March 2025, a decision which was later upheld by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal.
The family were looking forward to the inquest where wider issues would be considered, their solicitor Sam Tierney said in July.
At the inquest, which began on Wednesday, State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan has examined systemic issues that existed prior to the tasering incident.
The focus of the evidence has been dementia care and training for aged care staff, police and ambulance officers.
Judge O'Sullivan has heard of numerous alternatives available to White and other police and paramedics attending, including contacting Mrs Nowland's daughter Lesley Lloyd for help de-escalating the situation.
