Somerset mother says inquiry into Nottingham attacks reveals shocking details
Barnaby Webber's mum shares her experiences during the Nottingham attacks inquiry
Last updated 5th Jun 2026
The mother of Barnaby Webber, a student who was tragically killed during the Nottingham attacks, has expressed her distress at the revelations unfolding during the inquiry into the violent spree carried out by Valdo Calocane.
Barnaby, 19 and from Taunton, was stabbed to death alongside fellow University of Nottingham first-year student Grace O’Malley-Kumar in the early hours of 13th June 2023.
The attacker, paranoid schizophrenic Calocane, subsequently stabbed 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates before stealing his van and attempting to murder three pedestrians.
Emma Webber, Barnaby's mother from Somerset, spoke to BBC Breakfast, sharing her emotional toll from the nearly five-month-long inquiry.
Emma described the experience as mentally exhausting, lamenting the numerous failures by public bodies involved with Calocane prior to the attacks.
Emma said, "I don't think there's been a single day of evidence... where there hasn't been some new hideous revelation."
Moreover, she criticised an offensive WhatsApp message by a Nottinghamshire Police officer, which she found "disgusting and grotesque."
Revelations in the inquiry include the Independent Office for Police Conduct's (IOPC) multiple investigations into police actions, noting the slow response that disappointed the families.
In another revelation, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) dismissed 11 employees for wrongly accessing victims' medical records, which Emma called "heartbreaking."
Emma also recounted the horror upon learning the Crown Prosecution Service planned to accept Calocane's diminished responsibility plea instead of murder.
Calocane is currently held indefinitely in a high-security hospital after admitting to manslaughter and attempted murder.
Emma reflected on institutions' failings and the silence surrounding victims' voices, emphasising the need for representation and recognition of families' rights.