We'll crumble when inquiry ends, says attacks victim's mum

The Nottingham public inquiry into the tragic stabbings that occurred in June 2023 is nearing its conclusion, and the mother of one of the victims has spoken about the emotional toll it has taken. Grace O’Malley-Kumar was among three people fatally attacked by Valdo Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Alongside Grace, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates lost their lives during the incident on 13 June 2023. The inquiry, which began hearing evidence in February, is expected to deliver its final report after closing statements are presented this week.

Grace’s mother, Dr. Sinead O’Malley-Kumar, expressed the overwhelming sorrow that still weighs on her family. She described how the end of the inquiry will signal only the start of their grieving process. “I think when the public inquiry is over, when these constant revelations start to die down – I hope they will because it’s unimaginable – I think that’s when we will potentially really crumble,” she said. For her family, coping with the loss has been and continues to be incredibly difficult, with normal life still feeling far out of reach. She added that despite their efforts to establish a legacy for Grace and push for a safer society, the profound grief remains.

Following his guilty plea to three counts of manslaughter based on diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder, Calocane was handed an indefinite hospital order in January 2024. It was after the sentencing that various failings related to Calocane’s care and prior police interactions came to light, prompting calls for a detailed public inquiry. Established in 2025 after persistent lobbying by the victims’ families, the inquiry scrutinized the healthcare and law enforcement responses leading up to the attacks, as well as the aftermath. Over 100 witnesses gave evidence, including police officers, NHS mental health staff, survivors, and bereaved relatives.

The inquiry revealed multiple critical errors, such as Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s decision to discharge Calocane months before the stabbings and the police’s failure to execute an outstanding arrest warrant on the day of the attacks. Dr. Sinead O’Malley-Kumar reflected on the impact of the inquiry’s revelations, stating, “It’s ongoing, it’s harrowing, it’s heartbreaking, and when you just have one failure after another, you start to lose a lot of your faith in humanity.” Together with Grace’s father, Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, and other families, she has been advocating for systemic changes to prevent a recurrence of such tragedy.

Dr. Sanjoy Kumar emphasized the family’s commitment to ensuring no other families endure similar heartbreak. “We were promised that no stone would be left unturned and that’s really what I want it to be,” he said. Despite the inquiry reaching the end of its hearings, further investigations continue. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is conducting several ongoing probes into the attacks, while Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust faces a corporate manslaughter investigation led by Northumbria Police concerning Calocane’s care. The inquiry’s chair, retired judge Deborah Taylor KC, has until May 2027 to finalize her comprehensive report

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