Image source, SuppliedByAsha Patel and Will Jefford, East Midlands
- Published8 September 2026, 11:29 BST
Updated 4 minutes ago
The death of a student killed in the Nottingham attacks was “potentially preventable”, an inquiry has heard.
Barnaby Webber – along with Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates – were killed by Valdo Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, in June 2023.
On Tuesday, ahead of closing statements to the Nottingham Inquiry, the hearing was told a “more rapid administration of blood products” could have increased Barnaby’s chances of getting to hospital with enough of a heartbeat to undergo surgery.
The inquiry heard Barnaby had a less than 50% chance of surviving his injuries, characterised as “potentially preventable”, while Grace and Ian’s deaths were “not preventable”.
A panel of medical professionals assessed the emergency medical response on the day of the attacks to assess “survivability”.
In their assessment, provided to the inquiry, the panel noted the hard work of the emergency responders in their care to the victims.
The panel found that even if blood products had been administered to Barnaby earlier and more rapidly, multiple other rapid and particular steps would have had to have taken place for him to have survived.
The families of the victims sobbed as the assessments were read out by counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC. Grace’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, left the hearing room.
Image source, Reuters
The Nottingham Inquiry started hearing evidence in February, with more than 100 witnesses questioned over three months.
Witnesses included police staff and officers, mental healthcare practitioners, Calocane’s former flatmates and family members, the bereaved families and the survivors of the attacks.
A number of revelations emerged in evidence about errors in Calocane’s care, his previous interactions with police and failings both during and in the aftermath of the attacks.
Calocane – who also seriously injured three others in the attacks on 13 June 2023 – is currently serving an indefinite hospital order in a high-security facility after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and to three counts of attempted murder.
The inquiry is currently hearing updates in evidence since the end of oral evidence earlier this year.
‘Barney, Grace and Ian should be alive’
In her closing remarks, Langdale reiterated the evidence of former parliamentary ombudsman Sir Rob Behrens.
She said: “Too often these cases are dependent upon bereaved families campaigning at a time when they are least prepared to do so, and it is an outstanding public service that they perform.”
Langdale added: “Although Sir Rob was talking generally about bereaved families, his words could have been written as a description of the bereaved families and their legal team in this inquiry. Indeed, without their efforts there would not have been a public inquiry at all.”
“The evidence we have obtained has revealed one failure after another.
“There is a suggestion in some submissions that further oral evidence should be called. We submit that there’s no need for further oral evidence from any source.
“Barney, Grace and Ian should be alive. And the survivors – uninjured.”
These further updates will be followed by closing statements – the final oral submissions to the chair, retired senior judge Deborah Taylor KC.
On Tuesday, Taylor said it was “disappointing” that over the break, evidence had emerged which “ought to have been identified” and disclosed earlier.
She directed core participants to provide any corrections to errors or omissions by no later than 31 December.
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