The mother of Barnaby Webber, a Somerset teenager tragically killed in a stabbing attack, has shared heartfelt memories of her “super friendly” and adventurous son.
Barnaby, 19, affectionately known as Barney, was one of three victims murdered by Valdo Calocane, a man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, in Nottingham during a violent spree in June 2023. Alongside Barnaby, University of Nottingham student Grace O’Malley-Kumar, also 19, and 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates lost their lives. The attack also left three others seriously injured.
Barnaby’s family, including his mother Emma Webber, have publicly honored his spirit as a formal inquiry investigates the circumstances surrounding the incident and the response by police. Emma described Barney as “super keen to do stuff” and always eager to participate in activities, from sleepovers to school trips. His father David recalled his son’s “very laid back” personality and consistently happy demeanor, while Barnaby’s brother Charlie remembered him as “a really good laugh” and “really easy to get on with.”
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The ongoing inquiry has revealed a troubling series of missteps by law enforcement. A warrant for Calocane’s arrest was issued in September 2022 following his failure to attend a hearing for assaulting an emergency worker, yet police delay in executing this warrant for ten months preceded the deadly attacks. Additionally, Calocane assaulted two factory colleagues a month before the killings but was not apprehended by Leicestershire Police.
Tim Moloney KC, representing the victims’ families, condemned the police’s failure to arrest Calocane, calling any suggestion that his arrest would not have prevented the deaths “cowardly, highly offensive and insulting.” Nottinghamshire Police acknowledged the failure; Deputy Chief Constable Rob Griffin described it as a “serious, systemic, operational failure” and issued an unreserved apology.
Representatives from both Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire police admitted to operational shortcomings, including the loss of critical police call recordings and bodycam footage. The inquiry has exposed a lack of clear communication with victims’ families and survivors, as well as inconsistencies in how Calocane’s mental illness was managed.
Experts emphasized that managing paranoid schizophrenia is primarily a health service responsibility, not law enforcement’s. A Care Quality Commission report noted that Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust made key errors in Calocane’s treatment, including an inappropriate discharge to his GP in 2022. NHS England has publicly apologized to the bereaved families and pledged to reform mental health care services for those with severe illness.
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after pleading manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and attempted murder— a verdict met with distress by the victims' loved ones.
The inquiry will continue hearing testimony through June 2024, with the chairwoman set to deliver a comprehensive report and recommendations by 2027, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future.