Nottingham Tragedy Families Pledge Unwavering Quest for Answers as Public Inquiry Opens
The grieving families of Nottingham attack victims Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar have made a solemn vow to be "relentless" in their pursuit of the complete truth as a crucial public inquiry commences tomorrow. This inquiry will thoroughly investigate the catastrophic failures within mental health services that preceded the horrific knife rampage.
A Heartbreaking Loss and a Demand for Accountability
The teenagers, both aged 19, along with 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates, were fatally stabbed by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane in June 2023. Calocane had been discharged from mental health services despite staff being aware of his dangerous nature, having undergone no proper risk assessment prior to his release.
"She is the driving force behind everything that we do and everything that I do, and we will be relentless," stated Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, Grace O'Malley-Kumar's father. He emphasized the family's demand for full accountability and transparency from the authorities to ensure such a tragedy can never happen again.
Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, expressed a sense of "validation" as the inquiry finally begins its work. "I can't [stop]. I have to do it for Barney," she declared, highlighting the personal mission driving her participation in the proceedings.
The Scope of the Public Inquiry
Ordered by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and chaired by the retired judge Her Honour Deborah Taylor, this public inquiry will meticulously examine:
- Valdo Calocane's complete history of interactions with mental health services.
- The systemic failures that allowed his discharge without adequate safeguards.
- The lack of proper risk assessments identified in a prior damning independent report.
The inquiry represents a critical step towards understanding the institutional breakdowns that contributed to the attack.
Voices of the Survivors and a Call for Change
Wayne Birkett, a survivor who suffered severe brain injuries during Calocane's subsequent van attack, shared that nearly three years later, "nothing's changed" regarding his condition. His legal representative described the inquiry as a "watershed moment" for all those whose lives were shattered by the events of that day.
The Nottingham Public Inquiry is scheduled to hear evidence and testimonies until the end of May, with families and survivors hoping it will lead to substantive reforms in mental health care protocols and public safety measures.
