The mother of Barnaby Webber, a 19-year-old from Somerset, has remembered her son as a “super friendly” and enthusiastic young man who was always “up for anything.” Barnaby, also known as Barney, was one of three victims killed during a tragic stabbing attack in Nottingham in June 2023.
Barnaby, a former pupil of Taunton School and student at the University of Nottingham, lost his life alongside Grace O’Malley-Kumar, another 19-year-old student, and Ian Coates, a 65-year-old caretaker. The attack was carried out by Valdo Calocane, who also attempted to harm three others.
In heartfelt tributes, Barnaby’s family described him as laid-back, happy, and easy to get along with. His father David recalled Barnaby’s cheerful nature, while his brother Charlie highlighted his sense of humor and affable personality.
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An ongoing inquiry has revealed significant failings by police in the lead-up to the attack. A warrant to arrest Calocane was issued in September 2022 but was not executed for 10 months. Calocane, who had paranoid schizophrenia, had multiple previous incidents with the police, including assaults and antisocial behavior, yet was not detained.
Legal representatives for the victims’ families condemned the failure to act promptly, calling any suggestion that arresting Calocane would not have prevented the killings “cowardly” and insulting. Nottinghamshire Police acknowledged the failure, describing it as a “serious, systemic, operational failure,” and apologized to the families.
Further issues uncovered by the inquiry include lost police recordings from the day of the attack and premature deletion of body-worn camera footage. There were also concerns that officers did not review Calocane’s prior records during a previous intervention.
Representatives from Leicestershire Police and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) also issued apologies for shortcomings in their handling of Calocane, who had been discharged to his GP in 2022 despite his condition.
The inquiry heard that police are not trained to manage severe mental illnesses such as paranoid schizophrenia and that the responsibility to protect public safety lies primarily with NHS and clinical services.
Calocane was sentenced in January 2024 to an indefinite hospital order after pleading manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and attempted murder—a resolution met with criticism from the victims’ families.
The inquiry is ongoing, set to hear further evidence until June 2024, with a final report and recommendations expected in 2027.