Victims’ Families Seek Murder Retrial Review
Families of the Nottingham attack victims are demanding a retrial for the killer, Valdo Calocane, who they believe should face a murder charge. Calocane, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after his attack in June 2023 that resulted in the deaths of 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, as well as 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates.
A recent independent review has revealed significant shortcomings in Calocane’s mental health care, raising questions about the initial manslaughter plea and the basis of his sentencing. His avoidance of long-lasting antipsychotic medication due to needle aversion has been highlighted as a key issue in his treatment.
Expert Analysis and Witness Accounts
According to Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, the father of Grace, the previous diagnosis of treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia, which led to Calocane’s conviction, has been refuted by multiple agencies. The Care Quality Commission and the mental health trust have both denied that Calocane had treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia. This revelation has sparked concerns among the victims’ families about the accuracy of the original trial.
James Coates, son of Ian Coates, expressed frustration at the portrayal of Calocane as an “upstanding citizen” during the trial. He emphasized the shared experiences of other families in Nottingham dealing with similar mental health challenges and medication refusal, calling attention to the need for improved oversight and accountability within the healthcare system.
Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, shared a poignant anecdote about a mother reaching out for help, fearing that her child might follow in Calocane’s footsteps. She underscored the urgency of addressing systemic failures in mental healthcare, emphasizing the far-reaching impact of such issues beyond a single case.
A Call for Justice and Transparency
The families of the victims have been vocal in their demand for a murder retrial, citing the perceived miscarriage of justice in the original sentencing. Emma Webber asserted that the indefinite hospital order for Calocane failed to deliver justice for the lives lost in the attack, characterizing it as a blatant oversight in the legal system.
Speaking at a news conference in London, Webber condemned the institutional shortcomings that allowed Calocane to evade proper accountability for his actions. She criticized the negligence of the agencies involved, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in the aftermath of such tragedies.
In a stirring plea for justice, Webber lamented the loss of Barnaby, Ian, and Grace, emphasizing that their deaths could have been prevented with better intervention and oversight. She lamented the need for families to fight against public agencies that should have protected their loved ones, underscoring the systemic failures that have perpetuated this cycle of injustice.
The families’ unwavering pursuit of a murder retrial reflects their commitment to upholding the memory of the victims and seeking accountability for the failures that led to their tragic deaths. Their resilience in the face of adversity serves as a testament to their unwavering quest for justice and reform in the mental health and legal systems.
The full interview with the families can be viewed on The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee at 8 pm.
