Death of Nottingham attack victim 'potentially preventable', inquiry hears

The death of Barnaby Webber in a stabbing rampage in Nottingham was potentially preventable if he had undergone different medical treatment at the attack scene, a panel of experts found.

Paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane was detained under mental health laws four times before he killed Mr Webber and another University of Nottingham student Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, in the early hours of 13 June 2023 while the pair were returning from a night out in the city.

Calocane then fatally stabbed school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, before stealing his van and using it to try to murder three pedestrians.

An inquiry, which has heard evidence from 164 witnesses over more than three months, was told of a series of failings by police, mental health services and various public authorities.

The inquiry was hearing the first day of closing submissions from core participants on Tuesday.

It was also told that a list of explosives made by Calocane was not disclosed by Nottinghamshire Police until more than three years after the killings.

Dr Claire Park, a consultant in pre-hospital emergency and intensive care, was provided with the victim's medical records and witness statements to determine, along with an expert panel, "whether it was likely Barney, Grace or Ian would have survived had (medical) treatment been commenced earlier", counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC told the hearing.

Ms Langdale said the panel deemed Mr Webber's death "potentially preventable".

She said: "Barney received extensive treatment at the scene. Dr Park and the panel noted it was clear all responders worked together to deliver compassionate and efficient care to Barney."

The inquiry heard Mr Webber went into cardiac arrest on at least one occasion and he could not be resuscitated on the way to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Ms Langdale added: "Dr Park and the panel were of the opinion that the care could have been improved by those treating Barney at the scene."

She said they found that if volume resuscitation, fluid replacement, was more aggressive at the scene, he could have made it to the hospital "thus allowing for a decision to immediately operate".

She added the panel found "rapid and meticulous steps" would have been required for him to survive on the way to intensive care.

Ms Langdale told the inquiry: "There was a small chance, far less than 50%, that Barney could have survived his injuries."

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The inquiry heard Ms O'Malley-Kumar was in cardiorespiratory distress when she was found at the scene.

The panel found responders worked "to the best of their ability to provide immediate care and medical interventions for Grace", Ms Langdale said.

She added: "It was the opinion of Dr Park and the expert panel that Grace's injuries were not survivable and it's unlikely resuscitative treatment would be successful if she had been discovered at the same time as Barney."

Ms Langdale also noted the panel categorised Mr Coates' death as "non-preventable".

She told the inquiry: "Due to the severity of his injuries, Dr Park and the panel were of the opinion that even if an enhanced care team were present immediately after the attack on Ian, the injuries would not have been survivable."

Calocane, 34, also searched online for large venues in Nottingham and made a note about the Manchester Arena, the inquiry heard.

Counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC said Nottinghamshire Police found some of Calocane's documents in a bin at his former home, which were not provided to the inquiry team until July of this year.

One page contained bullet points about explosives under the heading "thoughts", including TNT and nitrate fertiliser.

Ms Langdale said: "This piece of paper listing thoughts about a number of explosives was not identified or taken into account at the time."

The closing submissions continue.

(c) Sky News 2026: Death of Nottingham attack victim 'potentially preventable', inquiry hears