Disturbing new footage has emerged showing Valdo Calocane, the perpetrator of the Nottingham triple murders, violently assaulting a police officer less than two years before the deadly attacks. The video, released by Nottinghamshire Police, captures Calocane headbutting, punching, and swinging handcuffs at Police Constable Barnaby Pritchard during an incident in September 2021, resulting in significant swelling to the officer's face.
Details of the 2021 Assault
According to evidence presented at a public inquiry, Calocane was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was refusing his medication at the time of this assault. He was subsequently charged with assaulting an emergency worker and summonsed to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in September 2022. However, Calocane failed to attend the court hearing, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant.
Connection to the Nottingham Attacks
This warrant remained active when Calocane carried out the horrific Nottingham attacks on 13 June 2023, during which he fatally stabbed university students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, as well as grandfather Ian Coates. The revelation of the prior assault has sparked intense scrutiny over whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedies, given the known history of violence and mental health issues.
The case underscores critical concerns about the intersection of mental health care, law enforcement protocols, and public safety. Authorities are now facing calls for a thorough review of how such incidents are handled to avoid similar failures in the future.
