Nottingham killer tried to play key inquiry role and grill his victims' families

Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane tried to play a key role in the inquiry into his crimes, which would allow him to grill grieving relatives of his victims, the Mirror can reveal.

The fiend could have piled more heartache on the families of 19-year-old students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, who he stabbed on June 13, 2023. He would also have had access to highly sensitive information on their deaths, view police evidence and make opening and closing statements.

Calocane had applied to become a core participant – a privileged position that grants special access to the inquiry’s work. Thankfully for the families his request was declined by inquiry chair Deborah Taylor, a retired senior circuit judge. They were last night informed of our findings, but in line with protocol could not comment.

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It comes after a list was published naming the core participants in the inquiry, to be held in Central London, which will begin hearing evidence in February. They include the victims’ families and Calocane’s mother and brother.

Core participants in an inquiry have specific roles and rights, including receiving disclosure of relevant evidence, making opening and closing statements, suggesting lines of questioning, and potentially asking questions of witnesses. They may also be entitled to legal representation and funding for legal costs. The chair ultimately decides whether or not to allow questions.

Paranoid schizophrenic Calocane, 33, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January last year after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was under Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s care from May 2020 to September 2022.

Keir Starmer confirmed in February a statutory, judge-led public inquiry into the attacks would go ahead. Barnaby would have graduated this year and Grace in 2027. The pair were honoured with posthumous degrees in medical science and history respectively by the university last month. Barnaby’s brother Charlie collected his certificate on his behalf in an emotional ceremony.

Families and friends of the victims laid flowers at the scene of the killings on the second anniversary in June.