Survivors of Nottingham attacks ‘had little support’ and feel left out of Government talks on inquiry
Calocane had stolen Mr Coates' van and drove at three pedestrians before being arrested in Radford.
A solicitor representing survivors of the Nottingham attacks says they have received ‘little support’ since the tragedy – and feel excluded from Government talks on a planned public inquiry.
Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller were both seriously injured when they were hit by the van driven through Nottingham city centre by Valdo Calocane on June 13 2023.
Earlier the same morning, paranoid schizophrenic Calocane had fatally stabbed students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, as well as school caretaker Ian Coates, 65. He then used Mr Coates’ van to drive at passers-by, striking both Mr Birkett and Ms Miller and leaving them with lifelong injuries.
Greg Almond, the legal representative for Mr Birkett and Ms Miller, said he wanted to ensure the authorities faced accountability and worked to prevent future tragedies while keeping the survivors involved in the process.
He said it was “quite right” that the relatives of the three people who died are expected to meet the Prime Minister on Wednesday (February 12) – but the survivors had not been invited to the discussion.
Mr Almond told Notts TV: “Key findings show there are various failures however these organisations are carrying out their own investigations at their own times. A judge needs to oversee it [any inquiry] who understands how to deal with such a huge amount of significant evidence and come to a conclusion.
“It needs to be done properly and held in Nottingham.”
An independent report into Calocane’s care before the killings into have shown some ‘major failings’ – recently the NHS found that Calocane was not forced to take his anti-psychotic medication in part because he did not like needles, as well as his risk “was not fully understood, managed, documented or communicated”.
All three surviving victims of the attacks were on their way to work when they were targeted by Calocane. Mr Birkett, from Newark, was crossing Milton Street at the time, while Ms Miller and Marcin Gawronski were at a bus stop when Colacane drove into them.
Mr Birkett suffered multiple serious injuries, including two fractures to the skull, two to the pelvis and a fractured rib. Ms Miller was also seriously hurt.
Mr Almond says since the event, the surviving victims feel they have been left left out of communications by the Government and authorities involved in the case.
He said: “For those who survived, the impact of this tragedy will last a lifetime. My client, Wayne, who suffered severe head injuries, and others in his position, have received little recognition or support.
“While the families of those who lost their lives have quite rightly had access to Government Ministers, the injured survivors have not been given the same opportunities. Their experience and perspectives are essential to understanding the full impact of these events, and they must not be overlooked.
“The victims – both the bereaved and the injured – must be fully involved in this process, included in discussions with Government Ministers and Prime Minister, and given a voice in shaping the lessons that must be learned.
“The people of Nottingham deserve to know that steps are being taken to prevent future tragedies. We urge the Government to include the injured victims in all future meetings and commit to a public inquiry without further delay.”
Mr Almond, a partner and solicitor at Nottingham firm Rothera Bray spoke on Tuesday (February 11), one day before the relatives of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley Kumar and Ian Coates meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in 10 Downing Street to discuss progress on a public inquiry into the tragedy. Sir Keir has already said one will be held – but the families say it must have statutory powers – meaning witnesses can be legally compelled to attend.
Last week an independent review found multiple failings in how Calocane had been treated by the NHS before the attacks.
It said he was able to skip vital mental health medication too easily and decisions weren’t shared properly across those responsible for this care.
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite secure hospital order in January 2024.
NHS England and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have both apologised.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson told Notts TV Wednesday’s meeting is going ahead as planned.
The added any inquiry will be judge-led and Sir Keir will meet relatives to “listen and ensure that they get the answers they need on what went wrong in this terrible case”.
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