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An inquiry into a series of fatal stabbings in Nottingham has revealed that three years prior to the attacks, a doctor warned the perpetrator, who suffered from severe mental illness, that he might eventually kill someone. Valdo Calocane, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was responsible for the deaths of two 19-year-old students, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, as well as grandfather Ian Coates. The attacks, which also resulted in injuries to three others, took place on 13 June 2023.
During the investigation, the Nottingham Inquiry learned that in July 2020, consultant psychiatrist Dr Faizal Seedat, who was Calocane’s doctor at the time, had a candid discussion with him about the risks posed by his condition. Seedat told Calocane that he could end up killing someone, a warning recorded during Calocane’s admission to Highbury Hospital. Despite this stark comment, Seedat admitted he did not truly believe Calocane would commit such an act. Calocane was admitted to the psychiatric ward following an episode where he tried to break into several neighbours’ flats. After an initial discharge in June 2020, he was readmitted less than a month later, during which Seedat observed Calocane lacked insight and remorse over his actions.
Dr Seedat explained that the comment about Calocane potentially killing someone was part of an effort to “paint a worst-case scenario” and serve as a wake-up call for the patient. He said, “I wanted to have a very frank conversation, which is clearly documented,” and described it as an attempt to “shock” Calocane into understanding the possible consequences of continuing his behaviour. When questioned about whether he believed Calocane could actually kill someone, Seedat responded, “No I didn’t.” He clarified that such a fatal outcome would be unintended, arising from an incident like someone reacting unexpectedly and injuring themselves during one of Calocane’s episodes.
The inquiry also explored Calocane’s communications with his family prior to the attacks. Calocane’s mother presented Dr Seedat with text messages exchanged between Calocane and his brother in early 2020, which contained references to violent thoughts. One message mentioned the phrase “red rum,” a term linked to murder, though Seedat acknowledged he was unaware of this reference at the time. He admitted, “I made the assumption that it had some religious context. I did not know what else to make of it at the time,” and recognized that he should have sought further clarification. Seedat also revealed that he did not share the full messages with other mental health professionals, opting instead to provide a summary during meetings—a decision he now reflects on as a missed opportunity for more collaborative care.
Following Calocane’s discharge, the inquiry heard that he tried to reach out to Dr Seedat multiple times, even visiting Highbury Hospital in August 2021 to discuss voices he had been hearing. However, Seedat was no longer involved in his care and did not engage directly, stating he had his “own responsibilities” and was skeptical that speaking with Calocane would effect change. When challenged that Calocane had specifically remembered and sought out Seedat, he insisted he did not feel it was appropriate to intervene with a patient no longer on his ward. Seedat concluded, “If I was asked to do a joint assessment of the patient, that would be different.”
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