Nottingham triple killer Valdo Calocane was not thoroughly investigated by the police when he attacked two of his colleagues shortly before going on a stabbing spree, a report has disclosed.
Calocane fatally stabbed 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, as well as 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates, before attempting to murder three others on June 13, 2023.
He was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder.
The families of the victims have criticized medical professionals and the police, accusing them of negligence after multiple oversights in handling the case of the deranged killer.
Now a police watchdog report uncovered by The Sun reveals how cops failed to properly probe Calacone’s assault on two co-workers at a warehouse in Kegworth – five weeks before his frenzied killing spree.
Leicestershire Police arrived at the scene on May 5, 2023, where the killer was accused of shoving one staff member to the ground and punching another in the face at Arvato Supply Chain Solutions.
When he was asked to leave the premises, witnesses claim he reached for a knife – but police said they were not made aware of a weapon as they stand accused of failing to act on the allegations.
The IOPC report reveals 11 blunders made by the force including, failing to take written statements of the incident, not downloading CCTV footage of the attack as well as no evidence of them contacting witnesses.
There was also no attempt to take Calocane into custody during the investigation, with zero checks made on the Police National Computer or Police National Database in relation to the killer.
Paranoid schizophrenic Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder
Grace and fellow University of Nottingham student Barnaby Webber, both 19, were killed by Calocane
Calocane then stabbed Ian Coates (pictured) to death and stole his van. He mowed down three pedestrians but they all survived
If the officers had entered his details into the database they would have seen an arrest warrant for the killer for an assault he had committed against a police officer who he had head-butted the year before.
And even though the Romanian warehouse staff members, who were allegedly attacked by Calocane, spoke little to no English, there was no offer of a translator to help communicate with officers.
The regulatory body described the probe into Calocane’s alleged assault on the employees as ‘exceptionally poor’, whilst adding it was a ‘missed opportunity’ to prevent the frenzied attack in the East Midlands city.
The victim’s families have hit out at the police force as well as the IOPC branding their probe as ‘very poor quality’ as they say they’re disappointed by the conclusion.
They told The Sun: ‘The damning failures exposed by this investigation are just another example of how our loved ones were badly failed by the authorities.
‘If the police had just done their jobs properly by performing a simple check on the Police National Computer, Barnaby, Grace and Ian might still be alive today.
‘Their failure to do even the most basic of policing means they have to live with the consequences of what happened.’
They continued: ‘The police force in question and the watchdog supposed to hold them to account are not fit for purpose.’
The officers involved will appear at a private misconduct meeting towards the end of February, according to the publication.
The IOPC has not advised gross misconduct charges for the cops, which include a female officer as well as a seasoned police cop who acted as a guide/mentor.
it has emerged Leicestershire Police made 11 blunders when investigating a case of alleged assault relating to the killer only weeks before he went on a killing spree (pictured: Calocane in a court sketch dated November 2023)
Victim Grace O’Malley-Kumar, left, pictured with father Dr Sanjoy Kumar, who has criticised ‘gaps’ in Valdo Calocane’s treatment, alongside Grace’s mother Sinead and brother James
The family of Barnaby Webber, second left, with his father David Webber, left, mother Emma and brother Charlie
Grace O’Malley Kumar’s family previously said they were ‘immensely proud of her bravery’ as she tried to save her friend in the attack
As a result neither – as well as the male sergeant who oversaw them – will lose their jobs.
An IOPC spokesperson: ‘We concluded our investigation in September last year into Leicestershire Police’s handling of assault allegations made against Valdo Calocane in May 2023.
‘As a result, three officers will face misconduct meetings being arranged by the force.
‘Our report and findings were shared with all of the interested parties including the families of Ian Coates, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber.
‘Our thoughts and sympathies remain with them. We have advised the families and the force that we intend to publish our investigation report and findings following the conclusion of proceedings. We are unable to comment further at present.’
MailOnline has approached Leicestershire Police for comment.
It comes after another report found that the schizophrenic triple killer was not forced to take long-lasting antipsychotic medication before his rampage because he was scared of needles
Families of his victims reacted with fury to the findings – which they believe supports their view that he was wrongly spared prison in a potential ‘injustice of the highest order’.
The report also found that other patients of the mental health trust which treated Calocane went on to commit ‘extremely serious’ acts of violence.
The NHS had initially tried to avoid publishing the full independent mental health homicide review – citing Calocane’s patient confidentiality – but u-turned at the beginning of February in the face of outrage from the bereaved families.
Calocane had a long history of contact with NHS mental health services and is serving an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter with diminished responsibility.
Prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas to murder after medical evidence showed he had been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.
But the families said the review showed the killer was ‘responsible for his actions and was allowed to make these decisions by his treating teams’, adding: ‘When he came to court, we were told a very different story.’
Emma Webber (pictured alongside husband David as they appeared on ITV’s This Morning in January last year) have continued to for a public inquiry into the case
The family of Barnaby Webber(left-right) Charlie Webber, Emma Webber, and Lee Coates, the son of Ian Coates during a memorial event in June 2024
Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace O’Malley-Kumar alongside Barnaby Webber’s father David
Their statement continued: ‘He may have been spared prison on the basis of incomplete evidence.
‘We have now seen report after report highlighting the failings of police forces and the health services.
‘These repeated failings led to this man being in the community and able to take our loved ones from us, and now we see evidence that he may have been sentenced in court on the wrong basis.’
The report found that repeated requests were made for Calocane to be put on antipsychotic depot medication – but risk ‘was not fully understood, managed, documented or communicated’.
It highlighted how, in one assessment carried out by mental health workers, the risk to staff was ‘managed’ by making arrangements for workers not to visit Calocane’s home alone, but a plan for the ‘hazards’ if he came off his medication and disengaged with mental health services was not developed.
Calocane had four hospital admissions between 2020 and 2022 and multiple contacts with community teams – before he was discharged to his GP because of a lack of interaction with mental health services.
The report detailed two years of his violent and disturbing behaviour, including frightening a neighbour so much she jumped out of a first floor window, leading to a serious back injury, punching a police officer in the face and holding his flatmates ‘hostage’. Health officials also admitted it is ‘clear the system got it wrong’.
At the time, the families’ statement said: ‘The picture presented to the court with regards to his mental capacity was very different to the one in the notes of those treating him.
‘He was responsible for his actions and was allowed to make these decisions by his treating teams, but yet when he came to court, we were told a very different story.’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, (pictured in Downing Street), met families of the Nottingham attack victims and promised a public inquiry ‘in a matter of weeks’
Emma Webber and Dr Sanjoy Kumar are seen leaving 10 Downing Street after the meeting on February 12
Dr Sanjoy Kumar today said of the promised inquiry: ‘We welcome it, we’ve been working so hard towards it and I just think we couldn’t be more delighted’
Flowers were laid on the steps of Nottingham Council House following Grace, Barnaby and Ian’s deaths
In further disturbing revelations, investigators found a series of violent incidents involving patients linked to Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
There were found to have been 15 incidents between 2019 and 2023 where current or recently discharged patients perpetrated ‘serious violence’ towards others, including strangers.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer has told the families that a judge-led public inquiry will take place in ‘a matter of weeks’.
During an emotionally charged meeting at Number 10 on February 12, the families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates were assured by the PM that a ‘number of different agencies’ would be scrutinised by the probe.
Grace’s father Dr Sanjoy Kumar said he thanked Sir Keir for announcing the inquiry ‘from a father to a father’, adding: ‘I think that’s what my daughter deserves.’
The Prime Minister said focusing on just one aspect of the case would not be right as he did not ‘think that will do justice’.
A retired judge is due to be appointed in due course, with Sir Keir adding: ‘As soon as that happens, the process will start.’
The families had called for a statutory inquiry in order for witnesses to be compelled to give evidence, and Sir Keir said it was important for it to be statutory so witnesses could ‘answer questions about their actions and their decisions’.
The Prime Minister acknowledged it had ‘taken a long time’ to reach a decision on announcing an inquiry, as he sat around the table alongside high-profile ministers such as the Health Secretary, Home Secretary and Attorney General.
