Nottingham Inquiry Reveals Failures in Valdo Calocane’s Care

NOTTINGHAM (Azat TV) – An ongoing public inquiry is investigating significant failures by the National Health Service (NHS) and police forces in the lead-up to the devastating Nottingham attacks in June 2023, perpetrated by Valdo Calocane. The inquiry, which commenced this week, is scrutinizing how authorities managed Calocane’s severe mental health issues, raising critical questions about public safety protocols and the efficacy of mental health care.

Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, fatally stabbed University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65. He then attempted to kill three more people using Mr. Coates’ van. Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder, a verdict that drew widespread criticism from the victims’ families.

Nottingham Inquiry Highlights Systemic Oversights

The public inquiry, led by retired judge Deborah Taylor, is delving into a series of reports that have already highlighted shortcomings in Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust’s management of Calocane. These include failures to appropriately assess the risk he posed to himself and others. Counsel to the inquiry, Rachel Langdale KC, outlined instances where crucial opportunities to intervene were missed, painting a picture of fragmented care and communication breakdowns across multiple agencies.

During the initial hearings, the inquiry heard that Calocane experienced a serious violent episode on May 24, 2020. He was found repeatedly kicking and punching a neighbor’s door, presenting with psychosis, hearing voices, and having not slept for five days. Despite these alarming symptoms, mental health professionals, including Dr. Gandhi, Ben Williams, and Anna Palmer, decided to offer him treatment with antipsychotic medication in the community rather than admitting him as an inpatient. Dr. Gandhi acknowledged considering detention but noted research on the overrepresentation of young Black males in detention, though he asserted it would not affect his decision.

Escalating Incidents and Missed Warnings

The inquiry heard compelling testimony regarding Calocane’s escalating behavior. Shortly after his release in May 2020, he attempted to enter another neighbor’s flat, causing a 22-year-old woman to jump from her first-floor window, resulting in serious spinal injuries. The woman, who gave evidence anonymously, described her terror, stating she thought ‘someone wanted to hurt me’ and that Calocane ‘could have killed’ her. Police Constable Richard Marsden of Nottinghamshire Police, who dealt with the incident, admitted at the inquiry that the two incidents on May 24, 2020, ‘should have’ been linked, but they were not. Police Inspector Katie Eustace also conceded that the incident was not ‘given the attention it deserved.’

Following this incident, Calocane’s mother, Celeste Calocane, pleaded for her son to be admitted to hospital for treatment, expressing concerns that he was a ‘risk to others in his current mental state.’ The inquiry is set to question why he was released at this critical juncture and whether his release straight into the community was appropriate. Moreover, the inquiry will probe why services deemed there had been ‘no incidents of violence’ from Calocane prior to his discharge, despite multiple documented episodes of aggressive behavior.

Disengagement, Unmedicated, and Unmonitored

Further evidence presented highlighted a concerning pattern of disengagement from care. In Christmas 2022, Calocane sent his parents files detailing his belief that his voices were due to ‘mind control technology,’ not mental ill-health. His phone analysis after the attacks confirmed he had researched such topics and watched violent videos. A risk assessment updated on February 28, 2022, noted his history of violence and aggression, recommending against lone home visits for medical staff, yet Ms. Langdale questioned why this assessment of risk to the community medical team did not apply equally to other students and the wider public.

In September 2022, Calocane was discharged from the early intervention in psychosis team and referred back to his GP due to non-attendance at appointments. The inquiry is examining whether this non-engagement should have been a clear signal of deteriorating mental health. In the months leading up to the June 2023 killings, his GP sent text messages, but Calocane was not seen and received no medication. Ms. Langdale pointed to a ‘lacuna’ in monitoring patients’ medication, with the GP claiming this was the trust’s responsibility. ‘VC was essentially in the community disengaged from any health service and unmedicated,’ the inquiry heard.

University’s Limited Awareness

Senior members of the mental health services team at the University of Nottingham, where Calocane studied until June 2022, also gave evidence. Claire Thompson, former associate director of student wellbeing, expressed irritation at suggestions the university did not do enough, stating they were ‘in the dark’ due to ‘incomplete information’ and a lack of communication from other services. She noted that key pieces of information, such as the police’s assessment that Calocane ‘could have killed’ the woman who jumped from the window, were not shared with the university. James Coates, one of Ian Coates’ sons, highlighted the difficulty in hearing ‘some of the contradiction’ during the testimony.

The ongoing inquiry aims to provide comprehensive answers to the systemic failures that preceded the Nottingham attacks. The detailed examination of decisions made by mental health professionals, police, and other agencies underscores the urgent need for improved coordination, risk assessment, and continuous monitoring of individuals with severe mental health conditions to prevent future tragedies.

The revelations from the Nottingham inquiry underscore a critical need for re-evaluating the interconnectedness of mental health services, law enforcement, and educational institutions in managing high-risk individuals. The evident gaps in communication and accountability, particularly concerning medication adherence and risk assessment, present a profound challenge to public safety and demand immediate, structural reforms to prevent similar catastrophic outcomes.