Kate Meynell, the former Nottinghamshire police chief at the centre of the disastrous Nottingham attacks, has pulled out of a new role reviewing serious cases. The decision comes amid fierce backlash from victims’ families.
“Common Sense Has Prevailed”
Victims’ families welcomed Meynell’s withdrawal, saying “common sense has prevailed.” Meynell was set to become head of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s (EMSOU) regional review team. This unit examines major investigations and critical incidents – including the botched probe into the Nottingham killings.
Meynell’s Troubled Past
Meynell led Nottinghamshire police during the June 2023 attacks, when paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane murdered three people:
- Students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19
- School caretaker Ian Coates, 65
Calocane stabbed his victims before using a stolen van to plough into three pedestrians. Meynell has admitted there were “unacceptable” failings in policing.
“The failure to apprehend Calocane before the killings was unacceptable,” Meynell told the ongoing Nottingham Inquiry.
Calocane had an active arrest warrant from September 2022, which went unnoticed in an unmonitored inbox. Meynell also admitted to mistakes over how families were kept in the dark and even filed a flawed complaint about media coverage.
Shock Over New Role
After announcing she would retire due to cancer last year, Meynell had planned to take the EMSOU review job in April. But families were furious at the thought of her leading reviews, branding the move “incompetent.”
“This was an individual who admitted major failings in the Nottingham attack investigation, yet was still chosen to oversee serious case reviews. That raised deep concerns among families,” said Emma Webber, mother of murdered Barnaby.
EMSOU confirmed Meynell secured the role following interviews, but has now decided against taking it up.
“The decision not to proceed only adds to confusion and questions the judgment of those responsible for the appointment,” added Emma Webber. “Families are entitled to trust the people leading these reviews. That trust has been shattered.”
Calocane was detained indefinitely in a secure hospital in January 2024, after pleading guilty to manslaughter and attempted murder on grounds of diminished responsibility — sparking more anger from the victims’ relatives, who expected him to go to prison. The entire saga leaves a bitter taste, with calls for a credible, transparent process that restores faith for grieving families.
