A harrowing ordeal unfolds as a victim recounts escaping a brutal attack by jumping from a window, a stark reminder of the terror inflicted by Valdo Calocane.
Last week, the ongoing inquiry into the Nottingham attacks heard a deeply disturbing account from a woman who suffered a severe spinal injury after falling from her window while desperately trying to evade Valdo Calocane. This terrifying incident occurred on May 24, 2020, a full three years before Calocane tragically took the lives of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates in June 2023. The 22-year-old victim, who required surgery to repair her spine, revealed that a police officer informed her that Calocane could not be prosecuted at the time due to his mental health. It's important to note that at this point, Calocane had not yet received a formal diagnosis for his mental health struggles; he was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in July 2020. The same officer, in a chilling statement, told the victim that had she not managed to escape, Calocane "could have killed" her. "I didn't know what to do," she recounted, her voice trembling with the memory. "I was by myself. I was alone. I felt like someone was going to hurt me. First, I was holding on to the window and I tried to jump when I slipped and fell on to the ground. I was scared, I was very scared."
But here's where it gets controversial: Why wasn't Valdo Calocane questioned more deeply about his request to be arrested at MI5 headquarters?
During the inquiry, PC Foster, who responded to Calocane at Thames House, was questioned about his failure to ask Calocane – referred to as VC throughout the proceedings – why he had come to the MI5 headquarters asking to be arrested. Foster stated his intention was to "build a rapport to see if [Calocane] was offering any other information," and that he aimed to be "calm and relaxed with VC." He added that Calocane did not exhibit "anything unusual." Sophie Cartwright KC, representing the survivors of the Nottingham attacks, posed a critical question: "Was it not essential that somebody had to ask VC the question: 'Why have you come to Thames House asking to be arrested?'" Foster, however, maintained, "I was content with the response that he gave. I was content by his demeanour, his mannerism, he didn't seem agitated. He was calm, compliant and coherent, so I was happy with the response he gave me." This exchange raises significant questions about the protocol and judgment exercised during the interaction.
And this is the part most people miss: An intelligence report detailing the MI5 incident was indeed sent to Nottinghamshire Police.
The inquiry revealed that an intelligence report concerning the May 31, 2021, incident at Thames House in London was forwarded to Nottinghamshire Police. This report, emailed by the Met Police on June 1, 2021, indicated that Calocane had been spoken to by officers and was described as "calm and compliant" before being permitted to leave the premises. Further details emerged that Calocane appeared "calm and collected" when officers from the Metropolitan Police attended the MI5 headquarters. When asked about the frequency of similar visits, PC Foster noted, "It's not infrequent it does actually occur, whether it is outside Thames House or whether it's actually outside other diplomatic or places of interest. It's semi-regular that somebody would wish to pass information on to intel services." Calocane himself reportedly told Foster that it was his "first time" visiting such a venue and confirmed he had been arrested before.
The inquiry is currently in its seventh day of hearings, spread across nine weeks at Mary Ward House in London.
Today's proceedings are expected to feature testimony from a Metropolitan Police officer who responded to reports of Valdo Calocane attempting to contact MI5. Following this, another Met officer, involved in managing threats to public figures and protected sites, will provide evidence. The day's testimony will conclude with a former roommate of Calocane, who was involved in two separate incidents with the triple killer in 2021.
This live coverage brings you updates from the second day of the second week of hearings for the public inquiry into the devastating attacks in Nottingham in June 2023.
These horrific events resulted in the deaths of Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber, and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and serious injuries to Wayne Birkett, Sharon Miller, and Marcin Gawronski, all at the hands of Valdo Calocane. The inquiry aims to scrutinize the circumstances surrounding these tragic events.
What are your thoughts on the handling of the situation at MI5? Should officers have probed further into Calocane's request to be arrested? Share your opinions below.
