Victim Families Demand Halt to ‘Farcical’ Police Misconduct Meeting

Families of three victims are calling police actions “farcical.” The victims died in Nottingham. A key meeting is set for this Wednesday, and it examines police dealings with Valdo Calocane before the tragic events. The families want the meeting delayed, citing “significant errors” in a watchdog probe.

A report exists from the IOPC, which investigates police conduct. It found police failed to probe Calocane after he assaulted workers in Kegworth a month before the murders. Proper action could have stopped him.

Three officers now face a misconduct meeting, where they could get only a written warning. Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, were students. Ian Coates, age 65, was a caretaker.

The families see report inconsistencies, including duplications and key omissions. These issues mean the meeting should not proceed now, as they believe it is not appropriately handled.

Calocane punched a man and pushed a woman at a Kegworth warehouse on May 5, 2023, a month before the killings. The families raised concerns with the IOPC in November via their legal team. They say the IOPC mostly ignored these concerns.

The families issued a statement via PA, stating the watchdog should gather the full truth. They expect high standards from officers and impartial behavior from the watchdog. The families want the meeting postponed until full disclosure happens.

The families can attend via audio only, in a separate room. The press has been excluded, and news outlets are asking for media access for transparent reporting purposes. The families also say that no senior police leaders contacted them over the past eighteen months.

The families consider the report “shocking,” with the detail and quality falling short of their expectations. Further, they want Leicestershire police to contact them following Wednesday’s proceedings. This request has not been acknowledged, and they believe Leicestershire police must face accountability if they fail to acknowledge the request.

An IOPC spokesman spoke about their investigation, which was completed last September. They concluded three officers should attend meetings and stated it would be inappropriate to comment further now, as those meetings have not happened yet. Leicestershire Police has not commented.