Bodycam Footage Reveals Calocane's Calm MI5 Encounter Before Nottingham Killings
Newly released bodycam footage has captured the moment Valdo Calocane, who would later become a triple killer, was stopped by police outside MI5 headquarters in London. The incident occurred in May 2021, more than two years before Calocane's deadly rampage in Nottingham that claimed three lives and left three others seriously injured.
Calm and Compliant Interaction
The footage, played during an ongoing inquiry into the events leading up to the Nottingham attacks, shows Calocane appearing "calm and compliant" during his interaction with Metropolitan Police officers. Despite the serious nature of his presence at Thames House in Millbank, the security service's headquarters, Calocane maintained a composed demeanor throughout the brief exchange.
On that bank holiday afternoon of May 31, 2021, Calocane arrived at approximately 5pm and pressed the intercom. He was wearing all black clothing, which witnesses noted was unusual given the "hot" weather conditions. The head of physical security at MI5, identified only as "Witness G" during the inquiry, spoke with Calocane through the intercom system.
Request for Arrest Without Explanation
According to testimony presented to the inquiry, Calocane claimed to have information regarding an unspecified case but refused to provide details. More significantly, he expressed a desire to be arrested while declining to offer any further explanation for his request. This unusual behavior prompted MI5 security personnel to contact the Metropolitan Police for assistance.
Bodyworn camera footage recorded by PC Graham Foster shows him and a colleague approaching Calocane, who was standing in the shade as families with children and prams passed by. During their interaction, PC Foster asked Calocane to remove his hands from his pockets and provide his name, which was subsequently checked against police records.
Previous Police Encounters
When questioned about prior arrests, Calocane initially responded with "Not really" before acknowledging he had been arrested once. The inquiry has previously heard that Calocane had actually been arrested twice within a 24-hour period approximately one year earlier. These arrests occurred in Nottingham, where he was a university student, after he banged down two neighbors' front doors. However, police took no further action following those incidents.
A police operator who conducted checks on Calocane during the MI5 encounter reported that he "was known but not wanted and had no warning signals." This assessment contributed to the officers' decision-making process during the interaction.
Questioning of Police Response
During the inquiry, Sophie Cartwright KC, representing survivors of Calocane's subsequent attacks, questioned PC Foster about his handling of the situation. She emphasized the significance of a member of the public requesting arrest at MI5 headquarters and asked why officers didn't probe further into Calocane's motivations.
PC Foster explained his approach, stating he was "trying to build a rapport" with Calocane and noted that the individual had made plans to leave the area via an Uber that arrived shortly after police questioning. The officer told the inquiry: "I was content with the response that he gave. I was content by his demeanor, his mannerism, he didn't seem agitated, he was calm, compliant, coherent, so I was happy with the response he gave me."
Aftermath and Ongoing Inquiry
Calocane left the scene when his Uber arrived, with police not inquiring about his destination. Less than two years later, in June 2023, he carried out a series of knife attacks in Nottingham that resulted in the deaths of 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, along with 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates.
Following these attacks, Calocane was handed an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The current inquiry continues to examine potential missed opportunities and errors in the period leading up to the Nottingham rampage, with this latest bodycam footage providing crucial insight into Calocane's behavior and mental state months before the fatal attacks.
