Police Officer Warned Woman She Could Have Been Killed by Valdo Calocane Years Before Nottingham Attacks, Inquiry Hears
A police officer warned a woman who jumped out of a window to escape Valdo Calocane that she could have been killed by him, the Nottingham attacks public inquiry has heard. This incident occurred more than three years before Calocane, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, killed three people and injured three others in Nottingham in June 2023.
Details of the Early Incident Revealed
The inquiry, chaired by Deborah Taylor, learned that on May 24, 2020, a young woman was in her home when Calocane began kicking at her door while she was showering. She described hearing repeated knocking that grew louder with kicks, and when she asked who was there, Calocane replied, "it's me, open, open." Fearing a group of thieves or attackers, she leaned out of a first-floor window, approximately 10-12 feet from the ground, and jumped, sustaining spinal injuries that required surgery and cause constant pain.
After being discharged from the hospital, an officer told her she had been "brave" and that if she had not jumped, Calocane could have killed her or been violent. The woman, who testified with an interpreter and has not been named, expressed anger and upset that Calocane was taken to a mental health hospital instead of being jailed, due to his schizophrenia diagnosis.
Police Response and Missing Evidence
The inquiry heard that Calocane had been arrested earlier on the same day in 2020 for causing criminal damage to another door, but this incident was not given "the attention it deserved." Nottinghamshire Police inspector Katie Eustace acknowledged this failure and revealed that body-worn camera footage from that arrest cannot be found, describing it as "incredibly frustrating" for both her memory and the inquiry.
Eustace also criticized an email sent after the first incident, where an officer asked building owners if they wanted to "press charges," suggesting a reluctance to pursue it as a criminal matter. She stated she would have obtained a statement from the owners instead.
Further Threats and Systemic Issues
Another witness, referred to as Liam, a neighbour of Calocane at Brook Court in Nottingham, testified that Calocane threatened to rape his partner in early 2022. Liam did not report this to the police, believing it would be a "waste of time." The inquiry also heard that Calocane was released from custody after damaging a door earlier on the day of the 2020 incident, with mental health professionals citing research on the disproportionate detention of young black men.
Calocane's victims in the 2023 attacks were University of Nottingham undergraduates Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, and grandfather Ian Coates, 65. The inquiry continues to examine the events leading up to these tragedies.
