The families of the victims of the Nottingham attacks “recognise the gravity and importance” of their meeting with the Prime Minister and other senior ministers this week, as they call for a statutory public inquiry into the tragedy.
Emma Webber, the mother of 19-year-old Barnaby Webber, who was killed in the attacks, has described the upcoming meeting at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday as a “watershed moment” in the fight for justice.
The meeting, which will be attended by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Attorney General Victoria Prentis, comes as families continue to push for full transparency and accountability over the failures that led to the killings.
Families demand full inquiry
Valdo Calocane killed Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and caretaker Ian Coates in June 2023 before attempting to murder three other people in Nottingham city centre. Despite concerns over his mental health history, he was able to carry out the brutal attacks.
In January 2024, Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder. However, the victims’ families have criticised the criminal justice system, arguing that the case was mishandled from the start.
Mrs Webber has made it clear that the families expect a full statutory public inquiry to be confirmed at Wednesday’s meeting, with a firm commitment to start proceedings in 2025.
Speaking to the PA news agency, she said:
“The families recognise the gravity and importance of their meeting with the Prime Minister, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Attorney General and Victims’ Minister on Wednesday.”
“From it, they expect to receive confirmation that the promised public inquiry will be a statutory one.”
“It must have the ‘teeth’ it needs to ensure full transparency and compel agencies and individuals involved to take the stand and tell the truth.”
Mrs Webber added that the Webber, Coates, and Kumar families “have nothing to hide, defend or embellish” and expect the same openness from public bodies.
Failures in mental health and justice systems
The demand for an inquiry follows the publication of an NHS England report into the care received by Calocane in the years leading up to the attacks.
The review found that the mental health services available to him were inadequate and that he did not receive the necessary treatment to prevent his condition from worsening.
Despite a history of serious mental health concerns, Calocane was not subject to sufficient intervention or monitoring, which the victims’ families argue could have prevented the attack.
Mrs Webber described the inquiry as a “long and traumatic fight” for justice, revealing that the families have faced “appalling treatment” from police forces, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the wider criminal justice system.
She accused public bodies of failing at every level, stating:
“Public agencies that should have been there to protect – instead they failed on an epic level.”
“The families’ dogged determination to get to the truth has uncovered a shameful catalogue of failures.”
“Failures, mistruths, poor leadership and gross negligence that resulted in a tragedy that was wholly preventable.”
Government’s response
Downing Street has previously said that Sir Keir Starmer is committed to a judge-led inquiry and has not ruled out a full statutory public inquiry with legal powers to compel witnesses.
A statutory public inquiry would have far greater authority than an independent review, ensuring that officials and agencies could be forced to provide evidence under oath.
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Despite growing pressure, no individuals have been held accountable for the failures that allowed Calocane to commit his crimes.
Mrs Webber warned that the current investigations are not fit for purpose, claiming they contain serious errors, omissions, and inconsistencies.
“None of the nine investigations, completed or still underway, have proved fit for purpose.”
“They are full of holes, errors and omissions.”
She added that the families will not rest until those responsible are held accountable, both within the NHS and the criminal justice system.
A crucial moment for justice
The upcoming meeting with the Prime Minister is expected to be a defining moment in the campaign for a full public inquiry, with the families making it clear that anything less than full transparency will not be accepted.
With the support of legal representatives and campaigners, the Webber, Coates, and Kumar families remain determined to ensure that their loved ones did not die in vain.
The outcome of the meeting could determine the Government’s next steps in addressing the systemic failures that led to the Nottingham attacks—and whether meaningful changes will be made to prevent such tragedies in the future.
