Families Call for Accountability in Nottingham Attacks Inquiry
The public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks has been described by the victims' families as a "test of whether this country is prepared to confront failure and fix it."
The inquiry, led by a judge, is set to investigate the circumstances leading to the deaths of Ian Coates, aged 65, and students Barnaby Webber, 19, and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, 19, who were killed by Valdo Calocane in June 2023.
Evidence will be presented concerning the actions of various agencies that had previously engaged with Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby, has emphasized the need for "accountability right down to an individual level" at the statutory public inquiry in London, which is scheduled to continue until May.
Calocane is currently serving a hospital order after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as well as three counts of attempted murder.
The families affected have expressed dissatisfaction with this outcome.
On the first day of hearings, Emma Webber read a statement on behalf of the victims' families outside the inquiry venue in London.
"Today is not simply the start of an inquiry, it is a test of whether this country is prepared to confront failure and fix it.
For years we have heard apologies. We have seen reviews, we have read reports, but apologies do not keep the public safe - change does.
We are not here for sympathy, we are here for safeguards, not reflection, not regret. Reform.
That is the legacy Barnaby, Grace and Ian deserve, and that is what public safety now demands."
Earlier, speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she described the forthcoming nine weeks as potentially "brutal."
"It's been everything we've fought for nearly three years," she said. "Now that it's here it does feel overwhelming, but it does feel like the time is now.
So much went so wrong across every single institution, but in simple words we need the proper truth to come out now.
We need proper accountability right down to an individual level for those who failed and haven't done their job properly."
"We have to insist that there are changes in practice in every single institution and organisation, and that will add up to sweeping changes that will benefit everyone."
Families 'Climbed Mountains'
Calocane had previously been under the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and was known to police before the attacks occurred.
Following his sentencing, multiple reviews have highlighted serious failings in his care.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer agreed to establish the inquiry last year after lobbying by survivors and bereaved families.
The Nottingham Inquiry is chaired by retired judge Her Honour Deborah Taylor and is expected to hear evidence until the end of May.
Taylor commented on the efforts of the bereaved families and survivors: "In getting to this point, they've climbed mountains only to find that they reached false summit after false summit."
The inquiry will investigate what "was, could, or should've been done."
Key Themes Emerge from Inquiry Preparations
Although several reviews and investigations have been conducted into individual organisations, this inquiry will examine the events leading up to the attacks comprehensively.
Despite previous reviews, the victims' families had insisted that a statutory inquiry, which compels witnesses to give evidence, was necessary to achieve the level of accountability they seek.
Rachel Langdale KC, counsel to the inquiry, explained that the inquiry would consider the attacks in detail, including the concerns of survivors and bereaved families.
In her opening statement, Langdale outlined a timeline of Calocane's care, incidents involving him prior to the Nottingham attacks, and his interactions with the NHS, police, and other agencies, along with their responses.
Calocane, referred to as VC in the inquiry, had a history of mental health issues. He experienced paranoid delusions and symptoms of psychosis, which led to his arrest and detention under the Mental Health Act multiple times from 2020 onward.
Langdale indicated that several themes had emerged from existing reports concerning Calocane's care.
"We suggest some key themes emerge from these investigations and reports, and whether described currently as learning points, failings or criticisms, they provide a baseline critique upon which we will build."
Once all evidence has been heard, the chair will produce a final report and make recommendations by May 2027.
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