Tributes paid to victims of Nottingham attacks on first anniversary of horror incident
Tributes have been paid to a former Bulwell Academy caretaker and two teenage univeristy students who were all stabbed and killed a year ago today in Nottingham.
Ian Coates, aged 65, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, all died when they stabbed by Valdo Calocane in the city centre, early on the morning of June 13 last year.
He also admitted the attempted murder of three more people whom he hit with a van he stole from Mr Coates after killing him.
The events provoked reactions of shock and horror, not just across Nottinghamshire but the whole country.
Vigils and memorial services in the days after the attacks were attended by hundreds of people as the city came together to pay its repects to the victims.
Coun Neghat Khan (Lab), Nottingham City Council leader, said: “It’s hard to comprehend that a year has already passed since the terrible and tragic events in our city on June 13.
"Our thoughts, as ever, are with the families of Ian, Barnaby and Grace at what we know will be an incredibly difficult time for them.
“Three innocent lives were lost that day and they will never be forgotten by the people of Nottingham.”
Alex Norris, Labour election candidate for Nottingham North & Kimberley, who was Bulwell’s MP at the time of the attacks, tweeted: “Today marks the anniversary of one of the darkest days in our city’s history.
“All of our thoughts are with the families of Bulwell’s Ian Coates and University of Nottingham’s Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber.”
Posting on Facebook, Mark Spencer, Conservative election candidate for Sherwood Forest, who was Hucknall’s MP at the time of the attacks, said: “My thoughts today are with the friends and familes of Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar as we remember the tragic events that took place in Nottingham one year ago today, and everyone affected.”
Claire Ward (Lab), the new East Midlands mayor, tweeted: “Nottingham will never forget the names Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar.
"Today, my thoughts are with the family and friends of those we lost and with the other victims who were brutally targeted.”
Nottingham Forest, of whom Mr Coates was lifelong fan, tweeted: “Today we remember the victims of the tragic incident which took place in Nottingham one year ago.
“The thoughts of everyone at Nottingham Forest are with the family and friends of Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and all those who were affected.”
In Janaury, at Nottingham Crown Court, Calocane was sentenced to be detained in a high-security hospital after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility after the court accepted psychiatric reports describing him as a ‘paranoid schizophrenic’.
The sentencing provoked fury among the victims families, who said Calocane had ‘got away with murder’.
Nottinghamshire Police were also strongly criticised after it emerged a warrant for Calocane’s arrest had been issued almost a year earlier.
The Attorney General referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal in February, arguing it was ‘unduly lenient’.
The victims families said they were not surprised by the ruling and said they would continue their calls for a public inquiry.