The families of three victims killed by Valdo Calocane in Nottingham have condemned a “catastrophic collapse of responsibility” following a lengthy public inquiry. The inquiry, spanning over three months and hearing from 164 witnesses, examined the June 13, 2023, stabbings of University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates. Scotland Yard officers detailed how Calocane then used a stolen van to attack pedestrians in Nottingham city centre.
Family Outrage Over Inquiry
Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, spoke on Monday after the inquiry’s conclusion, calling it “brutal, bruising and harrowing beyond measure.” She claimed every agency involved failed her son and the other victims, describing a systemic failure that allowed Calocane to remain free and carry out the attacks.
Calls For Immediate Accountability
At a London press conference, victim families demanded urgent action before the inquiry’s full report, expected next year. Mrs Webber stressed that waiting months was unacceptable and called for government meetings within the next month to address the failings exposed.
Criticism Of Legal Outcome
Mrs Webber condemned the decision to accept Calocane’s reduced pleas from murder to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. She described it as a miscarriage of justice, stating, “Valdo Calocane got away with murder. He took three innocent lives and tried to take three more, and the system let him plead to manslaughter.” Calocane remains detained indefinitely in a high-security hospital.
Relentless Push For Reform
David Webber, Barnaby’s father, affirmed the family’s commitment to preventing future tragedies, urging systemic change: “We’re here to push on for the betterment of the country. This can’t continue. We’re seeing it more and more and more and it’s just got to stop.”
