The Nottingham public inquiry revealed significant failings by police and mental-health services in the run-up to the 13 June 2023 attacks in which Valdo Calocane killed three people and injured three others. Families called the findings 'a catastrophic collapse of responsibility' and demanded urgent government action and meetings with ministers. The 14-week inquiry heard from 164 witnesses, exposed missed arrest opportunities and improper record access, and will culminate in a report and recommendations from Deborah Taylor KC next year.
Nottingham Inquiry Exposes 'Catastrophic' Failings — Families Demand Urgent Action
Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley Kumar and Ian Coates were killed by Valdo Calocane on the morning of 13 June 2023 [Supplied]
A 14-week public inquiry into the Nottingham stabbings has concluded oral evidence, laying bare a series of serious failures by health services, police and other agencies in the years before and after the attacks on 13 June 2023.
Overview
The attacker, Valdo Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, stabbed to death Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates and attempted to kill three others in Nottingham. The inquiry, which began on 23 February and heard from 164 witnesses, scrutinised contacts with NHS mental-health services, police handling and record-keeping in the run-up to and aftermath of the killings.
The bereaved families of Calocane's victims called for change at a press conference on Monday [BBC]
Families' Reaction
Bereaved relatives described the inquiry's findings as 'a catastrophic collapse of responsibility' and 'an undoubted miscarriage of justice'. At a joint press conference in London, Barnaby's mother Emma Webber said the inquiry had been 'brutal, bruising and harrowing beyond measure' but necessary, and urged ministers to meet families within a month to begin urgent re-examination and immediate action.
'This isn't about vengeance, it's about doing the right thing. Excuses stop here and accountability starts today.' — Emma Webber
Key Failings Identified
The inquiry highlighted a number of systemic shortcomings, including:
There was an outstanding warrant for Calocane's arrest at the time of the attacks [Nottinghamshire Police]
- Missed opportunities to arrest Calocane: An arrest warrant issued in September 2022 was not executed, which police leaders accepted was a 'serious and systemic and operational failure'.
- Mental-health care gaps: Calocane was sectioned multiple times, discharged to primary care in 2022 and said to have been 'lost' by the Early Intervention in Psychosis service after failing to attend appointments.
- Inappropriate access to records: Staff at several organisations, including Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, improperly viewed records related to the attacks; the trust dismissed 11 employees and issued warnings to others.
- Failures in victim care and communication: Survivors reported learning distressing information from the media rather than from police, and described inconsistent support after the attacks.
Legal Outcome And Next Steps
Calocane pleaded guilty in January 2024 to three counts of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder. He is currently detained under an indefinite hospital order. Lawyers for the bereaved families say there is presently 'no legal platform' to alter his sentence, so they plan to press ministers including the prime minister, the health secretary and — if appropriate — the Attorney General for accountability and change.
Inquiry Process And Expected Recommendations
Oral evidence has finished; core participants will present closing statements at hearings in September. Deborah Taylor KC, the inquiry chair, is expected to publish a formal report and recommendations next year. The inquiry noted that organisations will not be legally obliged to implement the chair's recommendations, a point that has increased families' calls for enforceable reform.
The bereaved families urged "immediate action to address failings" [Yui Mok/PA Wire]
Voices From The Families
Relatives said they felt institutions had closed ranks and marked their own homework. Several family members expressed frustration at a perceived lack of contact from Nottingham authorities and called for a proper memorial and clearer local accountability.
Wider Implications
Campaigners and legal representatives said the inquiry exposed broader problems in how cities outside London are supported and resourced for policing and mental-health provision, and urged urgent investment, transparency and binding change to prevent future tragedies.
What Happens Now: The inquiry will publish recommendations next year; bereaved families and their lawyers are seeking meetings with government ministers immediately to push for policy changes that can be enacted before the formal report is issued.
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