Families of Nottingham attack victims say authorities have 'blood on their hands'

Students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and 65-year-old former Bulwell Academy caretaker Ian Coates were all stabbed and killed by Valdo Calocane on June 13, last year.

Calocane also stole Mr Coates’ van and used it to try and kill three other people.

At his trial, Calocane was given an indefinite hospital order for the manslaughter of three people – to the fury of the victims’ famliies who said Calocane had been effectively ‘allowed to get away with murder’.

Now, the report of a special review into mental health services at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – who Calocane was in the care of – has found a series of ‘errors, omissions, and misjudgements’.

The review, by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said key factors about Calocane’s behaviour during the times he was in hospital, having been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. had either been missed or omitted.

Furthermore, it emerged that doctors were warning of the risk Calocane posed in society three years before the killings took place.

It is a further stinging disappointment for the victims’ families who were already angry when it emerged after Calocane’s trial that Nottinghamshire Police had a warrant out for his arrested a year before the killings but did not arrest him when they had the chance.

Speaking to the BBC, Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, called the report’s findings ‘dreadful’ and said: "If any one of those missed opportunities had been addressed then I honestly think Barnaby would still be here today – so would Grace.

"He and Grace might be off on holiday together, Ian would have been off fishing, enjoying his retirement.

“But they're not."

"It's systemic, It's not just one mental health trust.

"It's uncovered and highlighted the urgency for conversation and change.

"It's not a witch hunt, but we do expect accountability."

Nottinghamshire Healthcare has apologised, following the report’s publication.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP (Lab) said the report’s findings were ‘deeply distressing’.

He added: "What we need to see is lessons acted upon, not just for the benefit of people in Nottinghamshire, but right across the country."