Nottingham Attack Inquiry Reveals Victims Were Tested for Drugs While Killer Was Not
During a judge-led inquiry into the Nottingham attacks, the father of a university student killed in the incident has labelled the decision to test the victims for drugs and alcohol as "disgusting," while their killer was not subjected to such tests. Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, expressed his outrage at the handling of forensic evidence in the case.
Details of the Tragic Incident
On June 13, 2023, in the early hours, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, aged 19, and her friend Barnaby Webber were fatally stabbed on Ilkeston Road after a night out. The perpetrator, Valdo Calocane, later killed caretaker Ian Coates, aged 65, and ran over three pedestrians with a stolen van. Calocane, a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, was taken into custody following the attacks.
Forensic Testing Controversy
Dr. Kumar, who works as a GP and a forensic medical examiner with the Metropolitan Police, revealed that he and his wife, Dr. Sinead O'Malley, were required to sign human tissue forms to release their daughter's body. He stated that it was not made clear that this allowed samples to be taken for drug and alcohol testing. "They took samples from our children to test for drugs and alcohol. I was really struck by that being really quite disgusting," he told the inquiry. He emphasized that Calocane was not tested for drugs while in custody, a move he found incomprehensible.
Dr. Kumar added that a hair sample from Calocane could have been crucial, noting that such a test does not require consent and might have provided insights into his state at the time of the attacks. "It may have proved nothing but it may have proved everything," he said.
Police Response and Apology
Retired Nottinghamshire police DS Leigh Sanders apologised to the bereaved families during the inquiry for the decision not to take a hair sample from Calocane. However, he argued that a hair sample would not have been able to pinpoint drug or alcohol use at a specific time or date. Dr. Kumar countered this, stating, "If you are here to detect crime, that means forensics is really important. And a basic part of that forensics is head hair."
Broader Implications and Family Anguish
Dr. Kumar drew an analogy, describing Calocane as "an oil tanker who crashed into our children and Ian. A one-degree change in his course, he could have ended up in a different continent." He warned that if Calocane had missed their children, he would have harmed others, highlighting systemic failures in preventing the attacks. The Webber family also shared their distress, with Emma Webber calling police messages about their son's injuries "disgusting and grotesque," and David Webber criticizing the lack of consideration for their son's privacy.
Legal Outcome and Ongoing Inquiry
Valdo Calocane admitted to manslaughter and attempted murder and is now detained indefinitely in a high-security hospital after prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas to murder on grounds of diminished responsibility in January 2024. The inquiry, chaired by retired senior judge Deborah Taylor KC, continues to examine the events and responses surrounding the Nottingham attacks.
