Nottingham families were not told about stalker danger

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Nottinghamshire Police have been criticized for not informing the families of the 2023 triple murder victims that they were being stalked by a mentally ill man connected to the case, who had a history of threatening behavior and was linked to the government’s Prevent program. This lapse has prompted an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation amid concerns over risk assessment and communication, with a public inquiry underway to examine how authorities handled the perpetrator’s mental health and related threats.

Police in Nottingham have faced criticism for failing to inform families of victims in the 2023 triple killing that they were being stalked by a mentally ill individual connected to the case. The families say they were not made aware that another patient, who had been sectioned under mental health laws and had a history of threatening behaviour, had developed an obsession with their loved ones’ deaths.

The stalking involved a man who had been referred to the government’s Prevent programme, which focuses on identifying individuals at risk of extremism. According to victim relatives, this man claimed to have knowledge of a “cover-up” related to the high-profile killings and traveled to Somerset in an attempt to locate the families. He reportedly visited the GP surgery of Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, whose daughter, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, was among those fatally stabbed.

Barnaby Webber’s parents said they were not informed for 18 months about this individual’s actions or his presence in the area, which included towns such as Taunton and Bridgwater. Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, described the police’s delay and lack of communication as “profoundly upsetting,” especially given that her younger son attended school nearby. Families say they received no safeguarding advice or guidance during this period.

When the man absconded from a mental health institution, it reportedly took a week before police informed the families. Even then, authorities characterized him as not posing a threat, stating he was attempting to “offer his help.” However, some details were omitted, including his prior referral to the Prevent scheme and prior threatening behaviour, raising concerns about how the risks were assessed and communicated.

Nottinghamshire Police has referred its handling of the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which already oversees an extensive investigation into the broader failures surrounding the case. That inquiry includes scrutiny over missed opportunities to apprehend the perpetrator, Valdo Calocane, before he carried out the killings in June 2023. Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had been sectioned four times previously, stabbed to death three individuals: Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both aged 19 and university students, and Ian Coates, a 65-year-old school caretaker.

A public inquiry into the failings leading up to the attacks is scheduled to resume this month, focusing on how authorities managed Calocane’s mental health issues and the associated risks. The incident has raised broader questions about communication protocols with victims’ families when threats arise, especially those involving individuals with complex mental health histories.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.