A former University of Nottingham student has been sentenced to life in prison for a violent attack on campus that left two students dead and a third person injured. Valdo Amissão Mendes Calocane, 31, was found guilty of the murders of Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19, and the attempted murder of a third victim.
The attack took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when Calocane stabbed O'Malley-Kumar and Webber as they walked home from a night out. He then stole a van and drove it into pedestrians, injuring several people. The van had been taken from Ian Coates, 65, who was also found stabbed to death.
Calocane, who was born in Guinea-Bissau and moved to Nottingham as a child, had a history of mental health issues and was known to police. Counter-terrorism officers were involved in the investigation, but no ideological motive was found. The university expressed devastation that the suspect was a former student, but police said the link was not connected to the attacks.
At a vigil in Nottingham, the families of the victims urged the public not to hold hate based on race, religion, or colour. Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby, said the attacker would not define the community and would receive the retribution he deserved. The families also paid tribute to the city of Nottingham, which had meant so much to their loved ones.
Calocane was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years. The judge described the attack as 'brutal and senseless', and praised the courage of the victims' families.
