Families Seek Answers Ahead of Nottingham Inquiry
"It's taken a long fight to get here."
Dr Sanjoy Kumar expressed to the BBC the emotional impact he felt when Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks last year, saying he had a "tear in his eye."
His 19-year-old daughter, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, died while trying to protect her friend and fellow student Barnaby Webber. Both were fatally stabbed by Valdo Calocane as they walked home from a night out in Nottingham on 13 June 2023.
Calocane's attacks also resulted in the death of Ian Coates and left three others seriously injured. These events are now under examination in the Nottingham Inquiry, which will commence nine weeks of hearings in London starting Monday.
Families of the victims and survivors have shared their ongoing struggle for answers and their hope for the "full truth" as the hearings approach.
The inquiry will investigate the circumstances leading to the attacks, the decisions and actions taken by various agencies including the NHS and police forces, and the monitoring of Calocane, who had a history of mental health issues.
Kumar stated he would remain connected to the other victims' families, who had long advocated for a judge-led statutory inquiry, ensuring witnesses would be compelled to provide evidence.
Although difficult for Kumar to speak of his daughter in the past tense, he said Grace was the motivation behind his pursuit of accountability.
"She is the driving force behind everything that we do and everything that I do, and we will be relentless," he said.
Kumar emphasized his desire to see reforms in the mental health system to prevent future tragedies.
"The only way we will do that is by holding people accountable, otherwise things won't change. We want absolute transparency. Patients and relatives deserve transparency," he said.
Police officers and NHS staff involved in Calocane's mental healthcare are expected to provide evidence during the inquiry.
Calocane had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia before the attacks.
Following assessments by multiple psychiatrists, the Crown Prosecution Service accepted his pleas of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. He was sentenced to a hospital order in January 2024.
Since the families' initial reactions to the sentence and investigation, several critical reviews have highlighted major failings in Calocane's NHS care and noted police staff unnecessarily viewing bodycam footage of the attack's aftermath.
After lobbying from bereaved families, survivors, and campaigners, the Prime Minister agreed to establish the inquiry last year.
Kumar, who works as a GP, expressed frustration at suggestions that the attacks resulted from funding cuts.
"I've been in the NHS since 1994, there has never been a time when we've had money but as a GP, I've done my job. Did people wake up in the morning and do the jobs that they're paid to do?"
He believes several individuals involved in Calocane's care failed to fulfill their responsibilities.
Families Seek Accountability and Change
Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber who was with Grace when they were attacked, described the start of the inquiry hearings as a moment of "validation."
"I'm a little bit anxious - a bit of trepidation - but I just want to get on with it now because it's been a very long, painful fight," she told the BBC.
Webber emphasized her desire for "the truth," specifying the need for the complete and proper truth, not partial versions.
"I mean the proper truth, not just versions thereof," she added.
Despite previous reviews, Webber stated that hearing evidence directly from individuals was the level of accountability she and other families sought.
She acknowledged it was "easy to be suspicious and negative" about the organizations the families had encountered but expressed her need to trust the inquiry process.
"Ultimately, when all of the true horrors and failings are unveiled, then we have to have that accountability but change and proper change within the law and legislation to make everybody safer," she said.
"I can't [stop]. I have to do it for Barney," she added.
Webber also expressed hope that the inquiry would lead to positive outcomes benefiting the public, including those with mental health issues and the institutions responsible for their care.
"We want those key things addressed but we do want it to be positive so that it helps the public, including those who are unwell and the institutions that are there to manage and treat them moving forwards."
Survivors Reflect on Impact and Seek Truth
Wayne Birkett, one of the survivors, considers himself "privileged" to have no memory of the attacks.
The 62-year-old was struck by the van Calocane was driving—a vehicle stolen from Coates after his murder—along with pedestrians Sharon Miller and Marcin Gawronski. All three sustained serious injuries.
Birkett suffered a complex brain injury and severe physical trauma, resulting in loss of memory of the day of the attacks and his entire life prior.
Nearly three years later, Birkett reported no improvement.
"My memory's still poor, headaches are still there, legs are still a problem, sleeping is still a problem," he said.
Birkett also struggles with confidence to leave his home, fearing interactions with friends he no longer remembers.
He has gradually learned more about the events of 13 June 2023.
"There's a lot of questions for the police, there's a lot of things that need answering. With the [mental health NHS trust] - they've got a lot to answer for as well," he said.
Birkett will attend the inquiry alongside victims' families.
"I'm feeling really nervous about being there but I want to hear what I want to hear - the truth, from everybody," he said.
Legal Representation and Inquiry Details
Greg Almond, solicitor representing Birkett and survivor Sharon Miller, praised the victims and bereaved families for their courage in seeking accountability and justice through lobbying for the Nottingham Inquiry.
"The start of the inquiry marks a watershed moment for those affected by the attack, and for the people of Nottingham," he said.
"This is the first real step in a long overdue process to establish what happened and why. We have full confidence in the inquiry, and expect it to rigorously uncover the truth and deliver the answers our clients deserve."
The Nottingham Inquiry, chaired by retired judge Her Honour Deborah Taylor, will hear evidence until the end of May.
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