Nottingham Attack Survivors Accuse Authorities of 'Torturing' Families in Inquiry

Nottingham Attack Survivors Condemn Authorities for 'Torturing' Families in Emotional Inquiry Testimony

The partner of a man who suffered severe brain damage after being deliberately run over by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane has delivered a powerful condemnation at a public inquiry, accusing authorities of having 'tortured' the victims' families 'over and over again' through their handling of the Nottingham attacks case.

Survivors Feel 'Forgotten' by System

Wayne Birkett, who was thrown into the air when Calocane swerved a stolen van to hit him in the early hours of June 13, 2023, testified alongside his partner Tracey Hodgson that survivors of the attacks feel completely 'forgotten' by the system. Mr Birkett suffered traumatic brain injury from two skull fractures, multiple lacerations, severe bruising and numerous fractures.

Ms Hodgson told the Nottingham Inquiry, which is examining events leading up to and after the attacks that killed three people, that authorities should have been transparent from the beginning. 'It should have not needed this inquiry for the police in particular to tell the truth and be honest as to what we are learning of so many failures,' she stated in central London.

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Police Withheld Critical Information

The inquiry heard disturbing revelations about information being withheld from victims. Mr Birkett revealed that their family liaison officer, Detective Constable Raj Johal, failed to disclose Calocane's previous interactions with police during early meetings. 'She said there was no history at all with the police,' Ms Hodgson testified. 'She's been sitting on all this information that she already knew. It's so disappointing to know that she would have known all of this and she wasn't allowed to tell us.'

Calocane had already killed three people that morning – students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65 – before using Mr Coates's van to run over three more victims.

Systemic Failures Exposed

The inquiry previously learned that:

• Calocane had assaulted and stalked a former flatmate
• He attacked two warehouse staff members a month before the Nottingham attacks
• A warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to attend court in September 2022 for assaulting a police officer

Mr Birkett described the sentencing hearing as 'horrifying,' particularly having to walk within two metres of Calocane in court. 'How do you do that, staring at the man who did all this?' he asked. Calocane received an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting three counts of manslaughter and three counts of attempted murder.

Additional Survivors Speak Out

Fellow survivor Sharon Miller provided harrowing testimony about believing she was a 'goner' after being hit by Calocane's stolen van. She suggested police sirens may have 'spooked' the killer, causing him to accelerate toward her as she crossed King Street after getting off a bus.

'I assumed police were pulling them over. Next minute I'm up in the air and the ambulance came,' Ms Miller recalled. She suffered fractured ribs, a broken toe, damaged spleen, and extensive bruising.

Ms Miller expressed being 'absolutely disgusted' to learn through media reports about police's prior dealings with Calocane and the outstanding arrest warrant. Her partner, Martin Reed, echoed frustrations that all information from Nottinghamshire Police felt like 'old news.'

Criticism of Police Response and Support

Both survivors and their partners delivered scathing criticism of the police response and subsequent support:

1. Ms Miller questioned why it took so long to apprehend Calocane despite extensive CCTV coverage
2. The couple reported feeling 'sidelined' as survivors
3. They described receiving minimal support, interacting only with their family liaison officer
4. Ms Miller stated she felt 'pushed aside' after hospital discharge

Mr Reed summarized their experience: 'It felt like we didn't matter... We were walking wounded, so we're not as important, are we?' Ms Miller added that the handling of the situation has destroyed her faith in police, noting 'All they keep doing is blaming each other for their mistakes.'

Financial Support Failures Highlighted

The inquiry heard disturbing accounts of financial support system failures. Mr Reed broke down after being advised to claim carer's allowance but scoring zero on the assessment. 'You would have to lie on the form to get it, basically. I didn't get a penny. It was very dark,' he testified.

Ms Miller noted she received nothing because she wasn't on personal independence payment, adding 'He got no support for looking after me which made it harder for me to recover because if it wasn't for him, I would have had to go in a care home.'

The couple has made several recommendations to the inquiry, including better financial support for serious crime victims and their families. Mr Reed called for comprehensive retraining of authorities, stating 'They all need to be retrained, to be honest. There's no coordination, no one has taken responsibility. They have all failed, basically. Clearly they are not capable of doing their jobs.'

The Nottingham Inquiry continues its examination of the events surrounding one of Britain's most devastating recent attacks.