26 January 2024 , 09:31
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The furious families of victims killed by Nottingham knifeman Valdo Calocane have slammed his sentence as “too lenient” to the Attorney General.
Prosecutors of the Valdo Calocane case accepted a manslaughter charge rather than pursuing a murder verdict after the violent deaths of 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates, 61. Calocane was yesterday sentenced to detention in a high-security hospital.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) defended its actions but the families have approached Attorney General Victoria Prentis as they argue the sentence was too lenient, a spokesman confirmed to the Mirror. The Cabinet minister now has 28 days from sentencing to review the request and decide whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal to decide whether the sentence was appropriate.
Emma Webber, mother of student Barnaby, said on the steps outside Nottingham Crown Court yesterday: “We as a devastated family have been let down by multiple agency failings and ineffectiveness. The CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) did not consult us as has been reported - instead we have been rushed, hastened and railroaded.
"We were presented with a fait accompli that the decision had been made to accept manslaughter charges. At no point during the previous five-and-a-half-months were we given any indication that this could conclude in anything other than murder. We trusted in our system, foolishly as it turns out. We do not dispute the murderer is mentally unwell and has been for a number of years.
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Victims Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar (PA)"However the pre-mediated planning, the collection of lethal weapons, hiding in the shadows and brutality of the attacks are that of an individual who knew exactly what he was doing. He knew entirely it was wrong but he did it anyway." During sentencing, Judge Mr Justice Turner said Calocane would "very probably" be detained in a high-security hospital for the rest of his life as he sentenced him for the "atrocious" killings, as well as the attempted murder of three others.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declined to back calls for a public inquiry into the circumstances leading to the Nottingham attacks, but has promised to learn "any lessons" required from the case. Mr Sunak told broadcasters during a visit to Scarborough in north Yorkshire on Thursday it was "right" Calocane would "spend very probably the rest of his life" in a high-security hospital. Asked whether he would order a public inquiry into any failings by the police, health authorities and the CPS, he said: "I think it is important all the relevant agencies look back to ensure all reasonable steps that could have been taken were taken and if there are any lessons to be learned that we do so."
Treasury minister Gareth Davies declined to comment further after it emerged the Attorney General is considering whether judges should review the Calocane's sentence. The minister told Sky News: "I'm pleased a sentence has been handed down which ensures that this perpetrator will be locked up for the rest of his life.
"There is a process in place to ensure that a referral can be made to the Attorney General and it's important that agencies conduct a thorough review of themselves and to assess what could have been done differently if that's the case. In any case, the Attorney General can review the outcome and the sentence. It is open to anybody to do that."