
City needs ‘powerful voice on national stage' after Nottingham attacks
Valdo Calocane killed 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, before attempting to kill three other people in the city in June 2023.
The scope of the two-year public inquiry, which will make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future, was published by the Government last week.
Greg Almond, from Nottingham-based Rothera Bray Solicitors, is representing two of the three survivors and said the terms of reference for the inquiry were 'very comprehensive'.
Sharon Miller and her partner Martin (Rothera Bray/PA)
Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller, along with Marcin Gawronski, survived being struck by a van which Calocane stole from Mr Coates.
Mr Almond said of the terms of reference: 'They hopefully will ensure that we get the answers that we need, both for my clients and for the people of Nottingham.'
Mr Birkett and Ms Miller have written to Nottingham MPs and the East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward, to ask for a meeting to create a 'joined-up approach' and ensure recommendations from the inquiry are implemented.
Mr Almond said: 'What we're concerned about, is that various different people are not coming together, and it's about a coordinated approach to this, so that we can speak with a powerful voice on the national stage.
'I think that's what Nottingham needs, so that there is a joined up approach from the various elected leaders. '
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January last year after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder. Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Mr Birkett suffered a head injury in the attack by Calocane, which put him in a coma and caused severe memory problems, headaches and dizziness, as well as fractures to his shoulder and legs.
He has no memory of the attack.
Ms Miller suffered significant orthopaedic and psychological injuries, now walks using a stick, and is cared for by her partner of 33 years.
Wayne Birkett and his partner Tracey (Rothera Bray/PA)
Mr Almond said of the impact of the attacks on the survivors: 'It's completely changed their lives.
'They were both very hard working people beforehand.
'They've not been able to return to work.
'The fact that this is in the news a lot, that the perpetrator's face is shown a lot, it's very difficult for them.'
Mr Almond said that the public inquiry is 'very important' to Mr Birkett and Ms Miller so they 'can move forward with their lives'.
He added: 'They want to draw a line under this terrible incident that's affected them completely unexpectedly, they were just on the way to work.
'They want to try and hopefully get back to work if they can, and try and live a normal life.'
In a statement, Ms Miller said: 'The inquiry will uncover the truth about all the missed opportunities to stop him (Calocane), and what needs to be done to prevent something as appalling as this from happening again.
'Not a day goes by where I don't think about what he did to Grace, Barnaby, and Ian.'

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The family of a student killed in the Nottingham attacks have formally complained to the police watchdog over an 'offensive' meeting with one of its directors. Valdo Calocane killed Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates in a spate of attacks in the city in June 2023. He was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility as a result of paranoid schizophrenia and three counts of attempted murder. It was announced in February that prosecutors, police and medical professionals would be scrutinised in the two-year inquiry, including the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Grace's father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, said that an IOPC regional director had behaved inappropriately when the bereaved families met the watchdog in March 2024, including by starting the meeting with a prayer. 'I found it patronising and offensive,' Kumar told the Sunday Times. 'I didn't want a prayer, I wanted answers. I've lost my daughter and it was his job to give me the truth, not a prayer. 'There are plenty of places to pray and the IOPC isn't one of them.' The regional director at the meeting, Derrick Campbell, is now the watchdog's director of engagement, the newspaper reported. An IOPC spokesperson said: 'We can confirm we've received a complaint about one of our directors and we are dealing with it in line with our complaints and feedback procedure.' The watchdog previously prepared a report that concluded Leicestershire police officers had failed to properly investigate an assault on warehouse workers by Calocane which could have stopped his killing spree a month later. Three officers were due to face a misconduct meeting but the force postponed this. In March, the IOPC said it would reinvestigate whether Calocane's previous history and an outstanding arrest warrant were seen by officers before the investigation was closed down. The watchdog said it had made its decision 'after the force provided new evidence, which had not previously been available to the IOPC' and 'representations by the bereaved families which led to further inquiries with Leicestershire police'.


The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
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