Inquiry examines circumstances surrounding Calocane killings, aiming for answers and future prevention.
Prime Minister Starmer announced an inquiry. A judge will lead it, having full legal power. He met with the victims’ families, emphasizing the importance of their involvement. The inquiry should finish within two years. What does a public inquiry really do?
The victims’ families have high hopes for it. They think it can improve safety and potentially benefit both the health service and the criminal justice system. It could help improve the health service greatly. The criminal justice system also might improve.
A public inquiry looks into issues that concern the public. It has “full statutory powers”. People must give evidence if asked and attend any hearings.
The inquiry finds out why things happened, looking at what occurred and who is at fault. It aims to stop similar events later through a thorough process. Evidence gets collected, documents are examined, and witness statements get reviewed.
Past inquiries took varying times, some lasting just 45 days, others up to 13 years. The Manchester Arena bombing is one example. Grenfell Tower and child abuse inquiries exist, too. The COVID-19 inquiry provides a recent example.
The inquiry does not find anyone guilty or innocent. It makes recommendations at the end, which governments can either accept or ignore. Public bodies are often advised to accept them.
Valdo Calocane killed three people in June 2023. He fatally stabbed Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19 years old. Ian Coates, a 65-year-old caretaker, also died. Calocane stole Mr. Coates’ van and tried to kill three others. He drove into Wayne Birkett and Marcin Gawronski, and Sharon Miller also sustained injuries.
Calocane had studied at Nottingham University and was 30 years old. Police and mental health services knew him, and he had assaulted his flatmates previously.
After the attacks, police arrested Calocane and charged him with murder and attempted murder. He had paranoid schizophrenia then.
He admitted manslaughter, not murder, because of diminished responsibility at a hearing on November 28. He also admitted the attempted murders.
NHS and CQC reports revealed failures in Calocane’s mental health care. The IOPC is investigating Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Police, examining police contact with Calocane earlier.
Reports show flaws in how public bodies acted and a lack of action taken with Calocane. Families want more answers about certain decisions relating to Calocane’s care before the attacks. They hope the inquiry reveals these answers now.
Families have called for an inquiry led by a judge. Sunak declined to back this in January 2024.
Inquiries focused on police or the NHS before. This public inquiry will examine more people, not focusing on only one area now.
The Prime Minister said focusing on one aspect is unfair. He wants to see the whole situation, not just parts. The inquiry looks at what led to the attacks and will determine how to stop future incidents.
The inquiry seeks to understand why Calocane’s schizophrenia was not recognized, despite signs. It will likely focus on the NHFT and the two police forces. They all dealt with Calocane before.
Grace’s mom says mental health services must be a focus. She said patients are not properly treated, emphasizing that it’s vital for public safety.
Valdo Calocane first contacted mental health services in May 2020. He damaged a neighbor’s flat in Lenton and tried to break into flats then. Police arrested him many times.
He was sectioned at Highbury Hospital twice briefly between June and July and started taking antipsychotic medication.
His family became concerned in May 2021, stating his mental health worsened, resembling when he was hospitalized earlier. Assessments determined he did not need hospital admission.
Calocane stopped taking medication in September 2021. He assaulted police officers during a mental health assessment and was sectioned for a third time then.
Between November 2021 and August 2022, Calocane missed appointments. Healthcare staff met in September to discuss it. They discharged him back to his family doctor due to his “non-engagement” there then.
No further health service contact occurred. This lack of engagement continued until the June 13 killings, almost nine months later with no support.
Calocane got an indefinite hospital order in January 2024. Prosecutors had accepted a plea of manslaughter. The victims’ families expressed anger outside court, feeling that justice was not really served.
The Attorney General agreed with the families and appealed, saying it was too lenient. The Court of Appeal found this untrue later.
The CQC rapidly reviewed the situation after the sentencing. The CQC found service errors in Calocane’s care, and their report released August 13, 2024, criticized the NHFT’s decision.
They criticized the NHFT’s decision to discharge him to his GP in September 2022.
The trust did not plan for violent relapses after his release back into the community.
Another report, commissioned by the NHS, came out February 5. It criticized Calocane’s mental health care, stating staff concerns were not properly heard.
Key information about caregiver decisions arose. Calocane was not forced to take medication. He did not like needles, which interfered.
Victims’ families demanded accountability. They felt the court lacked the full picture when he received a hospital order.
The IOPC also investigates the two police forces. They are police complaint bodies.
The IOPC said the murder inquiry had flaws. Opportunities to arrest Calocane were missed here. The police watchdog will publish its findings. Families signed non-disclosure agreements regarding information.
NHFT’s chief executive Ifti Majid apologized but ignored calls to resign from his position.
He told Nottinghamshire Live they should have done better in February 2025 after the NHS released the report. Majid said they made several improvements now. These include risk assessment changes and new nurses.
Majid said things changed since those tragic events. They work differently with people like Calocane and have a register of people struggling to engage.
Nottinghamshire Police admitted they should have arrested Calocane. This came from Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin.
He stated the devastating impact to be immeasurable, affecting the families killed and survived.
Griffin reviewed it and admitted his fault. He felt unlikely Calocane would get a custodial sentence, acknowledging that arrest might have changed things. It could have triggered mental health service contact.
Griffin claimed services were unlikely to help Calocane. This stemmed from his past interactions with them.
He called it one of the city’s darkest days, and indicated their officers will continue to support families now.
The Prime Minister said the inquiry soon happens. A retired judge will be appointed quickly. Starmer stated the process would start after.
Starmer stated the inquiry must be in Parliament. He added that nobody would question it now.