A staff member at the aged care facility where a 95-year-old was tasered by a police officer has told a jury the elderly woman threw a knife at her in the hours before the incident.
Mamta Rai was giving evidence in the manslaughter trial of Senior Constable Kristian White, who has pleaded not guilty in the NSW Supreme Court.
Senior Constable White tasered Clare Nowland, who was using a four-wheeled walker and carrying a knife in her right hand, in the early hours of May 17, 2023 at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma.
The great-grandmother fell backwards and hit her head, and died in Cooma Hospital a week later from an inoperable brain bleed.
Today, Ms Rai, who was working on the morning of the tasering, told the court she saw Mrs Nowland in another resident's room "sitting in the chair holding two knives in her hand".
"We normally use those knives to cut fruit for the residents," she said.
Ms Rai told the jury she remained in the room while a colleague went to call an ambulance, and moved backwards when Mrs Nowland stood up "suddenly".
"Clare stood up and threw a knife at me," she said.
"It landed on the floor, it didn't hit me directly."
Senior Constable Kristian White has pleaded not guilty to a single count of manslaughter. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)
Yesterday, registered nurse Rosaline Baker told the court about the moment Senior Constable White activated and deployed his taser on May 17.
"I thought it was just a torch," she said.
"I've never seen anything like this, and I thought, what's that?
"I was very, very concerned when she was falling to the ground."
Earlier in the trial, the court was shown CTTV footage of Senior Constable White arriving at the aged care home, with another police officer and two ambulance officers.
After the group walk past, Mrs Nowland appears from an alcove and moves in the opposite direction using her walker.
Today, one of the paramedics called to the scene, Anna Hofner, told the court emergency services later approached Mrs Nowland in an administrative area and tried to de-escalate the situation and get her to drop the knife.
But she said the 95-year-old "had a look in her eyes".
"She was too close for my comfort, so I stepped back," Ms Hoffner said.
"She was close enough so if she tried to strike out with a knife, I could have been hit."
Crown Prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC put to her that she was in no danger from Mrs Nowland because she was able to move away if needed.
Ms Hofner agreed and acknowledged she was at a "safe distance".
On day one of the trial, the Crown alleged Senior Constable White committed manslaughter by way of criminal negligence, or by committing an unlawful or dangerous act.
But the defence have argued his actions were a reasonable use of force as a police officer executing his duty.
The trial continues.