Police Failed to Execute Warrant for Nottingham Killer Months Before Fatal Attacks, Inquiry Reveals
A warrant to arrest a violent schizophrenic man before he killed three people in Nottingham was not executed by police for months prior to the attacks, in what has been described as a "serious, systemic, operational failure" during an ongoing inquiry. Valdo Calocane fatally stabbed University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, while attempting to kill three others in June 2023.
Outstanding Warrant for Ten Months Before Killings
The warrant was issued at Nottingham Magistrates' Court in September 2022, a full ten months before the tragic killings, after Calocane failed to attend a hearing where he was accused of assaulting an emergency worker. Nottinghamshire Police did not act on this warrant during that entire period, leaving Calocane free on the streets. In a shocking revelation, just one month before the fatal attacks, Calocane assaulted two colleagues at a factory in Kegworth, Leicestershire, yet Leicestershire Police also failed to arrest him at that time.
Families' Barrister Condemns Police Inaction
In his opening statement on behalf of the relatives of Mr Webber, Miss O'Malley-Kumar, and Mr Coates, Tim Moloney KC asserted that any attempt by police to claim that arresting Calocane would not have made a difference would be "cowardly, highly offensive and insulting". He emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating that the warrant remained outstanding for ten months without action from Nottinghamshire Police. Mr Moloney further argued that if police suggest executing the warrant would have had no impact, it raises serious concerns about public safety in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
Police Apologies and Systemic Failures Acknowledged
John Beggs KC, representing Nottinghamshire Police in the inquiry, admitted that the force should have executed the warrant in a "timely manner" and failed to do so entirely. He quoted the temporary deputy chief constable, Rob Griffin, who characterised this failure as a "serious, systemic, operational failure". Mr Beggs offered an unreserved apology to the families of the deceased and survivors, though he questioned whether Calocane would have been prosecuted and imprisoned given his mental illness at the time.
Hugh Davies KC, representing two Leicestershire Police officers, disclosed that an officer did not review records of Calocane's previous police encounters before the warehouse incident. Had she done so, she would have discovered the outstanding warrant. Additionally, body-worn camera footage from that incident was mistakenly deleted, with Leicestershire Police's chief constable apologising for these shortcomings.
NHS and Mental Health Services Also Under Scrutiny
The inquiry also highlighted failures within the NHS and mental health services. A Care Quality Commission report previously found that Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust made errors, including discharging Calocane to his GP in 2022. On behalf of the trust, Jason Beer KC expressed profound sorrow that opportunities to intervene were missed before the killings. Anna Bicarregui, representing NHS England, issued an unreserved apology, acknowledging that the NHS and the system as a whole failed the victims with devastating consequences.
Broader Implications and Ongoing Inquiry
Mr Beggs noted that Nottinghamshire Police handled 10 to 11 incidents involving Calocane before the killings, mostly involving low-level antisocial behaviour, which were not deemed unusual. He stressed that managing paranoid schizophrenia falls primarily to the NHS and clinical services, not police officers. Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder, a decision criticised by the victims' families.
The chairwoman of the inquiry will hear evidence until June this year, with a report and recommendations expected in 2027, aiming to address these systemic failures and prevent future tragedies.
