Nottingham Attacks Inquiry reaches final day of hearings
It follows months of evidence examining the events leading up to the killings of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates
Last updated 21 hours ago
The Nottingham Attacks Public Inquiry reaches its final day of hearings today (Friday 5 June) after months of evidence examining the events leading up to the killings of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates, and the response of public bodies before and after the attacks.
The inquiry, which opened in London on 23 February, has heard evidence from police officers, healthcare professionals, victims, survivors and bereaved families as it investigates the circumstances surrounding the attacks carried out by Valdo Calocane on 13 June 2023.
Calocane fatally stabbed University of Nottingham students Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both aged 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, in the early hours of the morning.
He then stole Mr Coates' van and drove into pedestrians in Nottingham city centre, seriously injuring Wayne Birkett, Sharon Miller and Marcin Gawronski.
A major focus of the inquiry has been Calocane's contact with mental health services before the attacks.
The inquiry heard that Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was detained under the Mental Health Act four times while under the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust before being discharged from services in 2022.
Following the attacks, Calocane was given an indefinite hospital order after prosecutors accepted pleas of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
In recent weeks, the inquiry has also heard evidence from survivors of the attacks and their representatives.
Greg Almond, solicitor from Rothera Bray for Mr Birkett and Ms Miller, said his clients had found it "very difficult" to hear evidence about failings by some of the organisations that had contact with Calocane before the killings.
He said the survivors felt "let down" and had at times felt like an "afterthought" during the aftermath of the attacks.
Mr Birkett suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by the stolen van, while Ms Miller sustained fractured ribs, a broken toe and a damaged spleen.
The inquiry also heard evidence relating to the handling of victims' medical records.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said 11 members of staff had been dismissed for inappropriately accessing the medical records of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates.
The trust said investigations are continuing into allegations of inappropriate access to the records of surviving victims.
The final morning of hearings is expected to conclude a process that has examined the actions of multiple public bodies in the lead-up to and aftermath of one of the UK's most serious violent attacks in recent years.
The inquiry's findings and recommendations will be published at a later date.