SEO HEADLINE: Nottinghamshire Mental Health Trust Discharged Killer Before Fatal Attacks TWO WORD TEASE: Mental Failings Valdo Calocane was discharged from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s mental health services just months before he fatally stabbed three people and launched a van attack in Nottingham. The inquiry revealed healthcare workers lost contact with him, leading to his discharge in September 2022 after multiple missed appointments and no engagement.
Warnings Ignored
Calocane had been under the trust’s Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) for two years, during which a consultant psychiatrist warned he was likely to kill someone. Despite this, attempts to engage him failed, and the trust discharged him when he could not be found.
Failed Attempts To Contact
The inquiry heard EIP team leader Emma Robinson detailed efforts to reach Calocane, including home visits by care co-ordinator Gary Carter, phone calls, and letters, all unanswered. His last contact was a misleading phone call in July 2022 claiming he was abroad. 
Discharge Despite Risk
Robinson explained, “We considered the risks to the public, but had no holding powers and couldn’t engage with him. We just couldn’t find him.” The trust decided to discharge him to his GP, effectively ending secondary mental health oversight.
Inquiry Highlights System Flaws
The panel learned that Calocane’s GP received minimal information after discharge, and Nottinghamshire Police were not informed. Robinson acknowledged it was common to discharge non-engaging patients at the time, though practices have since changed.
Tragic Consequences
In June 2023, Calocane killed students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, in Nottingham’s Ilkeston Road. He then attempted further violence with a stolen van in the city centre.
