Police Failed to Arrest Triple Killer on Warrant Months Before Nottingham Attacks
A warrant to arrest a violent schizophrenic man before he killed three people in Nottingham was not executed by police for months before the attacks in what has been described as a serious, systemic, operational failure, an inquiry has heard.
Details of the Nottingham Tragedy
Valdo Calocane killed University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, and attempted to kill three more people in June 2023. The warrant was issued in September 2022, 10 months before the killings, at Nottingham Magistrates' Court after Calocane, who was accused of assaulting an emergency worker, did not attend the hearing.
A month before the fatal attacks, Calocane assaulted two colleagues at a factory in Kegworth, Leicestershire, but he was not arrested by Leicestershire Police at that time. This incident highlights a pattern of missed opportunities to intervene.
Legal Representatives' Statements
In his opening statement on behalf of the relatives of Mr Webber, Miss O'Malley-Kumar and Mr Coates, Tim Moloney KC said that any attempt by police to say arresting Calocane would not have made a difference would be cowardly, highly offensive and insulting.
He stated: "That warrant was outstanding for 10 months, and Nottinghamshire Police did not execute it for 10 months. They just left him out on the streets." Mr Moloney continued, emphasizing that such failures undermine public safety and trust in law enforcement.
John Beggs KC, representing Nottinghamshire Police in the inquiry, acknowledged the force should have executed the warrant in a timely manner, adding: "They failed to do so at all." He quoted the temporary deputy chief constable Rob Griffin, who described the failure as a serious, systemic, operational failure and offered an unreserved apology to the families.
Systemic Issues and Apologies
Hugh Davies KC, representing two Leicestershire Police officers, noted that an officer did not view records of Calocane's previous encounters with police. If she had, "she would have been able to discover that VC (Valdo Calocane) had an outstanding warrant for his arrest." The officers have accepted these shortcomings, and Leicestershire Police's chief constable has apologized.
Mr Beggs argued that Nottinghamshire Police "did their reasonable best" to manage Calocane's interactions, which included 10 to 11 incidents, mostly low-level antisocial behavior. He pointed out that paranoid schizophrenia is not a condition police are trained to manage, suggesting that answers lie with the NHS and clinical services.
Aftermath and Inquiry
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and attempted murder, a decision criticized by victims' families. The chairwoman of the inquiry will hear evidence until June this year and produce a report with recommendations in 2027, aiming to prevent similar tragedies.
This case raises critical questions about police accountability, mental health management, and public safety protocols in the UK.
