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A public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks revealed that the body of a school caretaker, Ian Coates, was left at the crime scene for 15 hours following his stabbing. Coates, who was close to retirement, was among three victims fatally stabbed by Valdo Calocane on 13 June 2023. In addition to killing 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, Calocane attempted to murder three others during a series of violent incidents that shocked the city.
Police reached Magdala Road, where Ian Coates was killed, around 05:40 BST; however, his body remained there until approximately 20:30 that evening. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Rob Griffin of Nottinghamshire Police, who was acting as the senior “gold commander” in charge on the day of the attacks, described the prolonged presence of Coates’s body at the scene as “awful” and acknowledged the additional trauma this must have caused Ian’s family. Griffin stated that he only became aware of the 15-hour delay shortly before providing his testimony at the inquiry, which is chaired by retired judge Deborah Taylor KC and held in London.
The sequence of events began around 04:00 when Calocane stabbed Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar on Ilkeston Road. He then walked nearly two miles, arriving at Magdala Road by 05:14, where he fatally stabbed Ian Coates, an employee at Huntingdon Academy. Afterward, Calocane commandeered Ian’s van and used it to strike pedestrians in the city center, including surviving victims Wayne Birkett, Sharon Miller, and Wayne Gawronski. Police arrived at the scene shortly after 05:39, following a witness’s emergency call. When questioned about why Coates’s body remained so long at the scene, Griffin acknowledged it “does seem like a long time” and reiterated the trauma this caused Coates’s family. He explained that his trust rested on assurances given that the delay was necessary to maximize forensic opportunities, though he could not provide further details.
Additional testimony during the inquiry revealed that a forensic tent was not set up over Coates’s body until 07:55, meaning he lay exposed in the street covered only by blankets for several hours. When asked to imagine the pain this caused the victims’ families, Griffin said, “I actually can’t imagine it, it’s awful.” He also admitted to lacking detailed knowledge about whether the body’s lengthy presence at the scene was absolutely required. Griffin’s testimony also covered police communication with bereaved families. He apologized for comments made shortly after the attacks, which he now regrets due to their perceived lack of empathy. Griffin reflected on public statements, including one highlighting “91 minutes from call to cuffs,” which was intended to provide context but was interpreted by some as implying rapid and effective police work. He acknowledged that these statements caused unintended hurt and expressed sincere apologies to the families and survivors.
The inquiry further uncovered shortcomings in police handling of sensitive information. Families were not informed for months about misconduct proceedings against officers who had viewed footage of the attacks unnecessarily. Survivors learning of an outstanding arrest warrant and prior police contact with Calocane only did so through the inquiry, rather than directly from authorities. Griffin conceded a failure in transparency, calling the non-disclosure of previous interactions with Calocane to victims a “fundamental failing.” He also agreed with questioning over the lack of a proactive investigation into which police personnel accessed sensitive images of the attacks. These issues have added to the inquiry’s scrutiny of the police response and communications following the tragic events
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