On June 13, 2023, Valdo Calocane killed Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates and seriously injured three others with a stolen van. He later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and to attempted murder, receiving an indefinite hospital order, according to multiple reports. Elaine Newton, partner of Ian Coates, was mistakenly told he died in a car crash before learning five hours later he was stabbed, according to Elaine Newton. This incident has prompted a wide-ranging public inquiry into the events leading to the attacks and actions by agencies like police, mental health teams, and the university, examining how such violence could have been prevented.
Calocane was a mature student at the University of Nottingham when he became mentally unwell and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in July 2020, according to research. He had been sectioned multiple times under the Mental Health Act prior to the attacks, indicating a long-standing and severe mental health condition. In October 2021, Calocane moved into private student accommodation Raleigh Park in Lenton, Nottingham, according to research, where his behavior would soon escalate into violence against flatmates.
Christopher said Calocane was initially 'very quiet' and 'kept to himself'.
Early warning signs emerged in January 2022 when Calocane put his flatmate Christopher in a headlock after being asked to clean a shared bathroom. According to research, Calocane then assaulted Christopher, coming 'flying across the room', throwing a punch, wrestling, and putting him in a headlock. A video clip shown to the inquiry showed Calocane holding Christopher in a headlock while Christopher asked someone to 'ring the police', according to research, with other flatmates heard saying 'Valdo, stop it' in the video. According to www.aol.com, Christopher described being heard asking Calocane to 'please let go of me' during the assault, highlighting the intensity of the confrontation.
Police officers PC Simon Zacharia and Sergeant Anthony Faulkner did not arrest Calocane after the headlock incident, citing insufficient evidence, according to multiple reports. Christopher claimed he showed officers a video of the headlock, but PC Zacharia denied this, according to multiple reports, creating a contradiction in the evidence presented. Calocane eventually let go and Christopher called the police, but Calocane then stopped him from leaving the flat, according to research, with a second video played to the inquiry showing Christopher saying 'I just want' in an incomplete statement. This incident raised questions about the adequacy of the police response to a clear act of violence in a domestic setting.
Later that day, when Christopher asked again, Calocane said 'no I'm not going to, what are you going to do about it?'
By October 2021, Calocane had already been sectioned multiple times and had been involved in incidents including assaulting another student named Sebastian in July 2021, according to research. Between December 2021 and January 2022, Calocane's behavior deteriorated and he became more withdrawn, according to research citing Christopher. Flatmates raised concerns about the state Calocane was leaving one of the shared bathrooms, according to research, which led to the confrontation in January 2022. According to www.aol.com, Christopher described Calocane as initially 'very quiet' and 'kept to himself', but tensions escalated over cleanliness issues, with Calocane later saying 'no I'm not going to, what are you going to do about it?' when asked to clean, according to www.aol.com. Christopher responded by saying 'I will call you a dirty [expletive]', according to www.aol.com, before the physical assault occurred.
On May 5, 2023, Calocane assaulted two colleagues, a married couple, at an Arvato warehouse in Kegworth, according to multiple reports. During the warehouse assault, Calocane punched the male victim behind the ear, causing dizziness and pain rated 10/10, and later kicked and pushed the female victim, according to the victim's statement. Calocane bent down to pick up a safety knife, retractable like a Stanley knife, after the warehouse attack, according to witness Louisa, indicating a potential weapon was involved. Calocane was known as Valdo Mendes at Arvato and had previously identified as Adam Mendes in court, according to witness Louisa, suggesting he used aliases that may have complicated identification by authorities.
Christopher responded by saying 'I will call you a dirty [expletive]'.
Police handling of the warehouse assault reveals contradictions: police did not visit the warehouse assault victims or witnesses for statements and sent a follow-up email three days before the June 2023 attacks, according to multiple reports, but other accounts suggest police attended the warehouse assault, with officers described as 'quite young' and writing briefly. This disagreement indicates confusion or inconsistency in police response to a prior violent incident by Calocane, which could point to systemic failures in investigation procedures. The lack of thorough follow-up, including not taking statements from victims, may have missed an opportunity to intervene before the fatal attacks in June.
Prosecution decisions involved internal police disagreements, as Nottinghamshire Police charged Calocane prematurely with an 'emergency charge' due to pressure from press and families, according to prosecutor Alan Murphy. Senior investigating officer Leigh Sanders believed Calocane acted 'in cold blood' and used the word 'murder' in documents, though prosecutors accepted a manslaughter plea, according to Leigh Sanders. This discrepancy raises questions about the evidence or reasoning that led prosecutors to accept a manslaughter plea rather than pursue murder charges, given the senior officer's belief in premeditation.
Christopher was heard asking Calocane to 'please let go of me' during the assault.
Police investigative shortcomings after the attacks included not taking a hair sample from Calocane to test for drug use after his arrest, which families criticized, according to multiple reports. Victims Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were tested for alcohol and drugs after death, but Calocane was not, which their families found 'disgusting', according to Sanjoy Kumar. These omissions have fueled criticism of the thoroughness of the police investigation and whether all relevant evidence was considered in understanding Calocane's state at the time of the attacks.
Inexperience and resource issues within Nottinghamshire Police were evident, as an officer responding to a 999 call involving Calocane was 12 shifts into her career, and her senior colleague had three years' service, reflecting inexperience in policing, according to multiple reports. Months before the attacks, police took 'no steps' to execute a warrant for Calocane's arrest that was still outstanding on the day of the attacks, according to research, highlighting potential oversight in warrant management. It remains unclear why the arrest warrant for Calocane was not executed before the June 2023 attacks, and who was responsible for this oversight, as the inquiry continues to examine these procedural failures.
The public inquiry, led by retired judge Deborah Taylor, is examining the events that led up to the attacks, according to research. More than 100 witnesses including police officers and mental health workers are giving evidence over eight weeks, according to research, aiming to uncover systemic issues. The inquiry is examining events leading to the attacks and actions by agencies like police, mental health teams, and the university, providing a comprehensive review of failures across multiple sectors.
Key unknowns include what specific steps, if any, were taken by mental health teams to monitor Calocane after his multiple sectionings prior to the attacks, as his diagnosis and history suggest ongoing care was necessary. Additionally, how Calocane obtained the weapon used in the attacks and the stolen van, and whether there were any missed opportunities to prevent this, remains under investigation. These gaps in knowledge underscore the complexity of preventing such incidents and the need for improved coordination between mental health services and law enforcement.
Further unknowns involve what specific policy or leadership failures within Nottinghamshire Police contributed to the handling of Calocane's prior incidents, as suggested by former officer David Gilbertson, though details are not yet public. The inquiry's findings may shed light on these issues, but for now, the full extent of institutional shortcomings remains to be determined. As evidence unfolds, the focus is on ensuring accountability and implementing changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future.