The Prime Minister has told the families of those killed in the Nottingham attacks that a judge-led public inquiry will take place in “a matter of weeks”. During an emotionally charged meeting at Number 10 on Wednesday, the families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates were told by Sir Keir Starmer that a “number of different agencies” would be scrutinised by the probe. Valdo Calocane killed 19-year-old students Mr Webber and Ms O’Malley-Kumar and 65-year-old caretaker Mr Coates before attempting to kill three other people in a spate of attacks in the city in June 2023.
He was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder. The Prime Minister said focusing on just one aspect of the case would not be right as he did not “think that will do justice”. A retired judge is due to be appointed in due course, with Sir Keir adding: “As soon as that happens, the process will start.”.
The families had called for a statutory inquiry in order for witnesses to be compelled to give evidence, and Sir Keir said it was important for it to be statutory so witnesses could “answer questions about their actions and their decisions”. The Prime Minister acknowledged it had “taken a long time” to reach a decision on announcing an inquiry, as he sat around the table alongside high-profile ministers such as the Health Secretary, Home Secretary and Attorney General.
Opening the meeting, Sir Keir said: “I gave you my word that we would push for a judge-led inquiry. “We have looked at the papers… and today I can confirm there will be a judge-led inquiry into this case. “More than that, it will be a statutory inquiry.”. Their meeting with the Prime Minister follows the publication of NHS England’s report into the mental health care received by Calocane in the lead-up to the attacks, which found the offer of care and treatment available for him “was not always sufficient to meet his needs”.
Sir Keir continued: “I’m really pleased that we have got that far and I want to make sure you are at the heart of this. “I know, acutely, you didn’t feel that before, and we will do everything we can to make sure you are at the heart of this.”. He added: “At least now we can begin this stage… towards the justice and accountability you so desperately need.”. Ms O’Malley-Kumar’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, got up from his chair and shook the Prime Minister’s hand with tears in his eyes as Sir Keir told the families the news, with Mr Webber’s mother Emma Webber tearfully applauding the announcement.
Mrs Webber, who sat next to the Prime Minister during the meeting at Number 10, said “you can’t bring him back”, to which Sir Keir replied: “I can’t imagine what it is like.”. Mrs Webber then said: “You don’t want to.”. The Prime Minister promised it would be an “ongoing dialogue” and when asked if there was any chance the decision to launch an inquiry could be “U-turned”, he said: “No.”.
