Northumbria Police has launched a criminal investigation into Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police regarding the care provided to Valdo Calocane prior to a fatal attack that claimed three lives on 13 June 2023. Calocane, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after fatally stabbing two 19-year-old university students, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley Kumar, as well as 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates.
Evidence presented during a public inquiry into the circumstances preceding the attacks revealed that the NHS trust had placed Calocane under involuntary psychiatric hold on four occasions between 2020 and 2022. The inquiry documented multiple violent incidents Calocane committed during this period and his consistent refusal to take prescribed medication. A physician testified at the inquiry that during Calocane’s second hospital admission, there were concerns he could “end up killing someone.” Despite these documented risks, Calocane was discharged from mental health services in September 2022 after failing to attend appointments, with staff noting they were unable to locate him.
Corporate manslaughter charges represent a serious criminal offense that applies exclusively to certain organizations, including public bodies such as local authorities and NHS trusts, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. Such charges are intended to ensure these entities are “held properly accountable for very serious failings resulting in death.” The investigation could result in substantial financial penalties and organizational changes at the trust’s leadership level.
A public inquiry into the attacks is anticipated to release its findings next year. The inquiry also noted that an outstanding warrant existed for Calocane’s arrest at the time of the attacks due to his failure to appear in court regarding an alleged assault of a police officer. Both Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire police forces apologized during the inquiry proceedings for their failure to enforce the warrant. A 2026 report by the Care Quality Commission determined that the Nottingham trust required significant improvements to its operations.
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