Medical professionals treating Valdo Calocane “considered the research evidence that shows over-representation of young black males in detention” before deciding to release the paranoid schizophrenic back into the community, an inquiry heard, months before he killed three people in Nottingham.
The statutory public inquiry beginning in London heard the 34-year-old was discharged despite a doctor warning in July 2020 that Calocane “will end up killing someone.” He was released two weeks after that warning and went on to slaughter university students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and 65-year-old Ian Coates in June 2023.
Rachel Langdale KC, counsel to the inquiry, revealed the racial consideration as part of her opening remarks outlining multiple institutional failings that may have left Calocane free to carry out the random stabbing spree. Three pedestrians were also seriously hurt when he stole Mr Coates’ van and drove it at members of the public.
Calocane had a long history of contact with NHS mental health services and was sectioned four times, with his mother repeatedly flagging concerns about her son’s behaviour. However, he failed to attend meetings as his mental state fluctuated and was repeatedly released back into the community despite troubling incidents.
His behaviour included visiting MI5 headquarters demanding to speak with officials and bringing a hammer to a hospital ward. There were also concerns he was not taking medication properly after being sectioned multiple times, the inquiry heard.
One incident left a woman with a major back injury after she leapt from a first floor window to escape him. Five students moved out of their houseshare after becoming concerned about Calocane’s violent unpredictability, yet he never faced conviction until he struck in 2023 despite multiple occasions where police were involved after he became violent.
An NHS review last year found Calocane was not forced to take long-lasting antipsychotic medication before his rampage because he was scared of needles. The Independent Office for Police Conduct previously prepared a report concluding officers failed to properly investigate an assault on warehouse workers by Calocane which could have stopped his killing spree a month later.
The inquiry also heard of an “astonishing failure of information sharing” that left the University of Nottingham unaware Masters student Calocane had been absent for months due to medical reasons related to his mental health crisis.
Langdale described how Calocane was waiting in shadows to ambush Mr Webber and Ms O’Malley-Kumar on the night he struck, going equipped with a Boker dagger, a Gerber survival knife, a large pointed knife and a metal scaffolding pole. He later called his brother, saying: “This will be the last time we speak.”
Chairman Deborah Taylor, a senior retired judge, stated the probe will “examine what could and should have been done, and the effects of key actions, omissions and decisions.” She added: “The engine of change is powered by frankness, by reflection, rather than deflection, by insight and by acceptance of both personal and collective responsibility where required.”
Langdale suggested “key themes emerge from these investigations and reports” including “the approach to risk assessment, the dynamic nature of risk and the need to have a clear and accurate history.” She asked: “When should the risk Calocane presented in the community have been recognised and what should have been done about it? Was there any attempt to reduce the risk?”
The victims’ families stated ahead of the inquiry: “This inquiry represents a critical turning point in our pursuit of truth and justice. For too long, we have been met with failure and silence. We will no longer accept the institutional shielding of individuals who failed our loved ones.”
Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, told reporters: “We’ve seen reviews, we’ve read reports – none of which have served their purpose. Virtually all of which are useless. Apologies do not keep the public safe, but change does. This inquiry must not become a procedural exercise.”
The families’ statement continued: “We hope that it brings individual and institutional accountability, holding to account not just the organisations that failed in their duty of care, but the specific individuals whose decisions allowed these events to unfold. We want it to expose systemic neglect with a thorough examination of the missed opportunities by mental health services, law enforcement, and judicial bodies.”
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder. The families criticized the sentence, stating: “We want to challenge the legal framework and decision making which we feel led to an enormous miscarriage of justice that could see the killer of our loved ones released in as little as a few years.”
The inquiry will hear from more than 100 witnesses across four months, with the final report expected in May next year. The Ministry of Justice confirmed the management of Calocane’s risk to others in the lead-up to attacks and public servants accessing information without authorisation will form part of the inquiry. The chairman confirmed Calocane would be referred to throughout by his initials, VC.
