Former Police Chief Apologised for Nottingham Attack Failures Now to Lead Serious Case Reviews
The former police chief who publicly apologised for her force's 'unacceptable' failures in the investigation of the Nottingham attacker is set to take up a new position overseeing reviews of serious cases. This appointment has sparked significant controversy, with victims' families stating it raises 'fundamental questions about judgment and accountability'.
Background of the Nottingham Attacks
Kate Meynell served as chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police when paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane carried out a series of violent attacks on June 13, 2023. In the early hours of that morning, Calocane fatally stabbed University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, as they returned to their student accommodation. More than an hour later, he killed 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates before stealing his van and using it to run over three pedestrians.
Meynell has faced substantial criticism for her force's handling of Calocane's case. During the ongoing Nottingham Inquiry, she admitted that the failure to apprehend Calocane before his killing spree was 'unacceptable'. She also acknowledged mistakes in how the force handled media coverage and communications with victims' families.
Controversial New Appointment
Despite announcing her retirement from Nottinghamshire Police last year due to a cancer diagnosis, it has emerged that Meynell will assume a new role as head of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit's regional review unit starting April 6. This specialist unit, staffed by officers from five regional police forces, focuses on tackling serious, organised, and violent crime across the East Midlands.
The regional review unit conducts examinations of major inquiries, critical incidents, and other significant investigations. Notably, this same unit had been tasked with reviewing Nottinghamshire Police's investigation into Calocane. Meynell told the inquiry that the review findings contained 'nothing that raises any concerns for me regarding the overall quality of the investigation'.
Families' Outrage and Concerns
Emma Webber, mother of murdered Barnaby Webber, expressed being 'appalled' by the decision to appoint Meynell to oversee reviews of serious cases. She stated: 'The Nottingham attacks and the murders of our loved ones exposed serious failings, including within the force for which she held senior responsibility until just a few days ago. Those matters are still the subject of ongoing scrutiny in the Nottingham Inquiry. She has only just left the witness box.'
Webber added: 'To make this appointment now, in the middle of that process, is not just inappropriate, it is offensive and deeply insulting to families like ours who are still fighting for answers. This raises fundamental questions about judgment, accountability, and whether those in positions of power truly understand the impact of these decisions on bereaved families.'
Systemic Failures and Apologies
Meynell apologised for multiple failures that left Calocane free to commit his crimes. She admitted he should have been arrested months earlier after assaulting a police officer, as there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest at the time. 'Our processes around warrants weren't adequate. I have apologised. It was unacceptable,' she told the inquiry.
The force has faced additional criticism after it emerged that police officers and staff accessed material related to the murders without legitimate purpose. Families have also expressed devastation that prosecutors intended to accept Calocane's guilty pleas to manslaughter rather than murder. Calocane was eventually detained indefinitely in a high-security hospital in January 2024 after prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas to murder on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Questions About Independence and Trust
Emma Webber questioned the appropriateness of Meynell's appointment to a role requiring independence: 'You cannot credibly ask the public to have confidence in a system of independent review while placing someone so closely connected to a case under active examination into a role that requires exactly that independence but which has already exposed so many failings. This risks undermining trust not just in this appointment, but in the wider process of learning lessons from serious failures.'
She concluded: 'Families like ours are not interested in warm words or procedural exercises. We want honesty, accountability, and change. Announcements like this suggest we are a long way from that.' The controversy continues as the Nottingham Inquiry examines the full extent of police failures in this tragic case.
