The family of one of the victims of the Nottingham attacks has demanded a public inquiry into the case. Valdo Calocane, who killed Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates in June, was given a hospital order. While the NHS trust that treated him is being reviewed, Mr Webber’s parents are calling not only for the failings of mental health services to be examined, but for the police to be held accountable for their lack of action, as well as for the investigation into the case and management by the CPS of the case to date. They also voiced their disappointment at the outcome of the case thus far, with the family joining with those of the other victims in seeking “appropriate justice and appropriate answers.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and victim Wayne Birkett have backed calls for a public inquiry, while the Prime Minister has declined to commit to holding one at the present time. Criticising the decision, Mr Webber’s father, David, said: “If they don’t feel that warrants a public inquiry, what does? It’s disgusting.”
Meanwhile, both the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS England have confirmed that they will be carrying out separate reviews into Calocane’s care. The CQC announced it would be conducting a rapid review into mental health services in Nottingham to understand whether any practical actions could be taken to improve services and ensure people received safe and effective care. The review is aiming to report back to the secretary of state for health and social care before the end of March.
NHS England, on the other hand, has called for an Independent Mental Health Homicide Review into Calocane’s contact with mental health services. The review, which is expected to take a number of months to complete, will examine how Calocane interacted with mental health services prior to the attacks. While the Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust has welcomed the external inspections, many have called for greater accountability, particularly with regard to the lack of action from the police
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