Families Express Fury Over Post-Mortem Testing Discrepancy in Nottingham Attack Case
The grieving families of two students murdered in the Nottingham attacks have voiced profound outrage after discovering their children were tested for alcohol and drugs following their deaths, while the perpetrator, Valdo Calocane, was not subjected to similar forensic examination. This revelation emerged during an ongoing inquiry into the tragic events of June 13, 2023, which claimed the lives of Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both aged 19.
Details of the Nottingham Attacks and Legal Proceedings
Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic, fatally stabbed Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber in Nottingham. More than an hour later, he attacked and killed 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates. Following these violent acts, Calocane stole Mr. Coates' van and used it to run over three pedestrians, causing serious injuries. In January 2024, Calocane admitted to manslaughter and attempted murder, resulting in his indefinite detention at a high-security hospital on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Family Testimony Highlights Forensic Testing Controversy
Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, testified before the inquiry, describing the post-mortem testing of the victims as "disgusting". He revealed that families were required to sign human tissue forms to release their children's bodies, but were not adequately informed that this consent included permission to take samples for drug and alcohol analysis. "They took samples from our children to test for drugs and alcohol. I was really struck by that being really quite disgusting," Dr. Kumar stated. He emphasized the stark contrast: "Our children were tested, but the culprit wasn't."
Concerns Over Police Handling and Mental Health Assessment
Dr. Kumar, who has experience as a GP and forensic medical examiner with the Metropolitan Police, expressed further dissatisfaction with the investigation's handling of Calocane's mental health. He criticized the failure to properly examine the killer's psychological state at the time of the attacks, noting that Calocane had been in custody for several days without officers reporting acute mental illness. "I vociferously complained about the fact that this person's mental health had not been looked at properly on the day," he told the inquiry.
Additionally, Dr. Kumar highlighted a previous incident where Calocane assaulted a police officer, which was downplayed in official notes. He argued that this assault, resulting in a haematoma, should have been classified as Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) and taken more seriously. "To downplay their injuries and not even know the classification of their injuries, is, for someone in that position, really quite despicable," he said.
Forensic Oversights and Information Withholding Allegations
The inquiry heard that a hair sample from Calocane was not collected while he was in custody, a move Dr. Kumar found baffling. "It may have proved nothing but it may have proved everything. The point is that it wasn't done and it wasn't taken, and I just couldn't understand that," he remarked. He suggested that such forensic evidence could have been crucial in understanding the case fully.
Dr. Kumar also alleged that police detectives may have withheld information from him due to his professional background. "My belief on reflection is that I think detectives... knew what I did, what I had done, what my experience was, and I think there was possibly a strategy not to tell me things," he testified. He described the families' struggle to extract details, stating they had to "cling on to little things" because they were not being provided with comprehensive information.
Ongoing Inquiry and Broader Implications
The inquiry into the Nottingham attacks continues, with these testimonies shedding light on potential systemic failures in forensic procedures, mental health assessments, and police transparency. The families' anguish underscores calls for greater accountability and thoroughness in handling such high-profile cases, particularly concerning the treatment of victims versus perpetrators in criminal investigations.
