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BBC News
28-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Posthumous degrees for Nottingham attacks victims
Two students who died in the Nottingham attacks in 2023 have been awarded posthumous degrees by the University of O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19, were stabbed to death on 13 June 2023, in a series of attacks that also claimed the life of school caretaker Ian younger brother Charlie, 17, accepted a history degree in his honour on Monday, while Ms O'Malley-Kumar was awarded a bachelor of medical science on the ceremony, Charlie said it was a "monumental moment" for the family. "We know how much he would have been so chuffed to have gotten his degree this time if he was still here," he said. "It means a lot to come up here, and I feel honoured to be able to collect my brother's degree for him."Charlie thanked the university and the people of Nottingham for supporting the family, and said his brother had a huge connection with the city."He loved it - from the social life to his academics to his sport up here, he was obsessed with Nottingham - it was a real job for my parents to get him back to Taunton," he said."The city was there for us immediately - they didn't know us, they'd never met us, they didn't know our names, they wouldn't have even met Barney, but they were there for us the whole time." At the degree ceremony on Monday, friends and family of Mr Webber paid Brant, who has just graduated with a geography degree, knew Barnaby when they were at school in Somerset before they reconnected while studying in said it was "bittersweet" to attend the event."We're just here to support Charlie and the family," she said."It's such a tough day, but it's also such a lovely day to celebrate Barney's graduation."Although he's not here, it's nice to be able to support the family, and it's great that the university has honoured Barney as well." 'Proud moment' Politics and international relations graduate Ollie Chaplin, 22, met Mr Webber through the university's cricket said the posthumous degree is "a great gesture" to show the lasting legacy of his friend."It's a sign that he's not forgotten, not just by his friends, but by the institutions that he went to," he said."It's a really proud moment for his family, but also for his friends - obviously he can't be with us, but it's a great day to honour his memory."
Daily Mail
28-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Nottingham knife rampage victim Barnaby Webber is awarded honorary degree during an emotional ceremony attended by his younger brother
The brother of a student killed in the Nottingham rampage by Valdo Calocane collected a posthumous degree at what should have been his graduation ceremony today. Charlie Webber, 17, travelled to Nottingham with his late older brother Barnaby's godmother, Abi Rawlins to collect the honorary degree in history this afternoon. The student, who was known as Barney and from Taunton, Somerset, was coming to the end of his first year at the University of Nottingham when he was killed alongside fellow undergraduate Ms O'Malley-Kumar, 19, as they walked home from a nightclub in June 2023. Medical student Grace O'Malley-Kumar received a posthumous degree at a separate ceremony last Thursday. In a tribute read out by Ms Rawlins on behalf of Barnaby's parents Emma and David, the bereaved couple told how it was 'just too painful' for them to attend the ceremony. They added: 'As many parents who are sat here today will know, this is a day that you dream of for your children. 'A pivotal moment in their lives when they take the next steps into their future. That Barney's future was so horrifically taken from him on June 13th 2023 is unimaginable cruelty. 'What we do know is that in the all too precious time he had with us all he made a difference, and he had impact. 'Perhaps not in grandiose or seismic ways, but in his own inimitable ability to make friends, love his life and be a steady hand of support to so very many.' Ms Rawlins had to pause to compose herself as she read the statement from her 'dear friends', who added: '(Barney) absolutely loved every moment of his year here at the University. 'It was his dream to come here and one he worked hard to achieve; we remember the moment at home in our kitchen when he had confirmation of his place on A-Level results day in the Summer of 2022. 'A beaming smile came to his face and pretty much stayed put from then on. 'Thank you to the University for enabling this to happen today. It is with great pride that his younger brother Charlie accepts the award on all of our behalf. 'Charlie, you are exceptional. You really are. You know how proud we are of you. 'Your bravery, resilience and determination astound us. 'Barney may have eye rolled, tormented and teased you mercilessly, but you must know just how much he loved you too. 'To all who are here to quite rightly celebrate your graduation day. A huge well done. 'This is your day. We have just one ask of you if we may? 'When you have a much deserved drink later on to toast your success, please also raise a glass for Barney. He'd love that.' A small number of Barney's closest friends from home and university also attended the ceremony this afternoon. Ms O'Malley-Kumar's award was accepted by: Nicola Fletcher, the victim's friend and fellow medical student, on behalf of her devastated parents Sinéad and Sanjoy. The heartbroken couple congratulated their daughter's friends and peers on their achievement but said their 'unspeakable loss' had 'rendered it too heartbreaking and painful to witness' the ceremony. They said Ms O'Malley-Kumar's year at Nottingham 'was the happiest year of her life' and described her as a 'beautiful, courageous and brave young lady who always stood by her friends'. They said their daughter was 'fearless and fought for friendship until her final breath.' A court last year heard how Ms Kumar-O'Malley showed 'incredible bravery' trying to defend Mr Webber, who was also 19, from Calocane before he turned on her. The O'Malley-Kumars, both doctors themselves, also addressed the other medical students in the auditorium, urging them to 'listen to and heal your patients as if they were your own family members'. They added: 'You can never go wrong in your clinical decision-making if you use this as your benchmark.' Following the 'brutal and merciless' stabbings of Grace and Barnaby, both 19, Valdo Calocane walked a mile and a half across Nottingham - calling his brother enroute. Asked if he was going to do something stupid, the killer replied: 'It's already done.' Soon after he lured Mr Coates, 65, from his van and repeatedly knifed him. He then used the van to mow down three pedestrians, all of whom were lucky to survive. The NHS, police, university officials and even his employer missed at least eight opportunities to deal with Calocane, then 32, before he went on the rampage in the early hours of the morning. In January 2024, Mr Justice Mark Turner handed the paranoid schizophrenic a hospital order at Nottingham Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder. The order means that he could only be freed from a secure mental hospital with the agreement of the Justice Secretary. But the bereaved families have argued ever since that Calocane -who lived in the city after graduating from the same university where his two youngest victims were undergraduates – should have been prosecuted for murder. Flatmates described Calocane as a 'ticking timebomb' and nicknamed him 'serial killer' due to the loner's unstable nature. Speaking earlier this month, Barney's mother, Emma Webber, said of her decision not to attend today's ceremony: 'There are things I can do and things I can't do and I cannot go because I think it would finish me off.' In February, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a judge-led public inquiry into the Nottingham killings, following extensive campaigning by the families of Calocane's victims. The same month, a report has revealed triple killer Valdo Calocane was not forced to have long-lasting antipsychotic medication because he did not like needles. The report, commissioned by NHS England, also revealed that other patients cared for by the same mental health trust as the Nottingham attacker, stabbed and killed people between 2019 and 2023.
The Sun
16-07-2025
- The Sun
Nottingham attack victims Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber to receive posthumous degrees
TWO students who were stabbed to death in the Nottingham attacks will receive posthumous degrees this month. Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, were killed in Valdo Calocane's rampage in June 2023. 4 The University of Nottingham, where Barnaby was studying history and hockey starlet Grace was a medical student, yesterday confirmed they would both be awarded degrees at this month's graduation ceremonies. A spokesman said: 'We are working with their families to understand how they would prefer to mark this important milestone. 'We also appreciate that this is likely to be an emotional day for their cohort, who will be remembering their friends Barney and Grace.' Barnaby's mother, Emma, said his younger brother would accept the degree on his family's behalf. She added: 'We are so proud that Charlie, who is only 17, is able to go to Nottingham, supported by close friends and family, to accept Barney's degree on our behalf. "Sadly, it's too much for us to bear but we do feel it's important that it's marked.' Caretaker Ian Coates, 65, was also killed in the knife rampage, and Emma added: 'We will use the day to think of Barney, his great friend Grace and also Ian. 'We want to celebrate their lives and not the monster who took them.' Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024.
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Telegraph
Students killed in Nottingham attacks to be awarded posthumous degrees
Two students stabbed to death in the street in Nottingham are to receive posthumous degrees this month. Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, were killed as they walked home from a night out in the early hours of June 13 2023 by Valdo Calocane, who went on to kill 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates and attempt to kill three other people. The University of Nottingham, where Mr Webber was studying history and Ms O'Malley-Kumar was a medical student, has now announced they will both be awarded posthumous degrees at this summer's graduation ceremonies. Emotional day for pair's friends A university spokesman said: 'We will be offering posthumous degrees for both Barney and Grace at this summer's graduation ceremonies later this month, and are working with their families to understand how they would prefer to mark this important milestone. 'We also appreciate that this is likely to be an emotional day for many of their cohort, who will be remembering their friends Barney and Grace.' Emma Webber, Mr Webber's mother, said his younger brother would be attending the ceremony to accept the degree on the family's behalf. She told the PA news agency: 'We are so proud that Charlie, who is only 17, is able to go to Nottingham, supported by very close friends and family, to accept Barney's degree on our behalf. 'Sadly, it's too much for us to bear, but we do feel it's important that it's marked.' Mrs Webber added: 'What should have been a proud, happy day for all of the family is yet another tragically sad one. 'But we will use the day to think of Barney, his beaming smile, his great friend Grace, and also Ian Coates. 'We want to celebrate their lives and not the monster that took them.' Killer unlikely to ever be released In January 2024, Calocane appeared at Nottingham Crown Court and admitted three counts of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, and three counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas to murder charges because he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Calocane, now 33, who had stopped taking his anti-psychotic medications before the fatal attacks, was given a lifelong hospital order, and is likely to spend the rest of his life in a high-security hospital.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- The Independent
Students killed in Nottingham attacks to be awarded posthumous degrees
Two students who were stabbed to death in the Nottingham attacks will receive posthumous degrees this month. Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, were fatally stabbed as they walked home from a night out in Nottingham in the early hours of June 13 2023 by Valdo Calocane, who also went on to kill 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates and attempt to kill three others. The University of Nottingham, where Barnaby was studying history and Grace was a medical student, has confirmed they will both be given posthumous degrees at this summer's graduation ceremonies. A spokesperson for the University of Nottingham said: 'We will be offering posthumous degrees for both Barney and Grace at this summer's graduation ceremonies later this month and are working with their families to understand how they would prefer to mark this important milestone. 'We also appreciate that this is likely to be an emotional day for many of their cohort, who will be remembering their friends Barney and Grace.' Emma Webber, Barnaby's mother, said his younger brother would be attending the ceremony to accept the degree on his family's behalf. She told the PA news agency: 'We are so proud that Charlie, who is only 17, is able to go to Nottingham, supported by very close friends and family, to accept Barney's degree on our behalf. 'Sadly, it's too much for us to bear, but we do feel it's important that it's marked.' She added: 'What should have been a proud, happy day for all of the family is yet another tragically sad one. 'But we will use the day to think of Barney, his beaming smile, his great friend Grace and also Ian Coates. 'We want to celebrate their lives and not the monster that took them.' Calocane admitted three counts of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors accepted the then-32-year-old's not guilty pleas to murder charges at his sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court in January 2024 after medical evidence showed he has paranoid schizophrenia.
