Families say policing failures increased their distress
The mother of Nottingham murder victim Barnaby Webber has publicly condemned Nottinghamshire Police for not informing families that an individual with a reported history of serious mental illness and violence had allegedly been seeking them, deepening distress as the public inquiry into the 2023 killings continues.
Speaking to national media, Emma Webber said the revelation, which emerged from documents disclosed to the inquiry, left the families feeling repeatedly let down. The killings of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates by Valdo Calocane in 2023 already prompted intense scrutiny of police practice; the latest disclosures have intensified calls for greater transparency and safety for bereaved relatives.
- Families say they were not warned a person had been actively looking for them.
- The individual is alleged to have a history of severe mental illness and previous hospitalisation under the Mental Health Act.
- Disclosures to the public inquiry prompted the families to learn the extent of the risk only recently.
Mrs Webber said that, prior to the recent disclosures, the family had been told only that the individual had a "special interest" in supporting them — a description she said masked what appeared to be a far more worrying reality.
“How much more do we have to endure?”
She added: “This is failures to keep us, as Barney’s family and Grace’s family and Ian’s family, safe. And it keeps on happening.” Mrs Webber said she was especially worried about her surviving son, Charlie, and how easily the family home or his school could be identified by someone targeting them.
Questions over what police knew and when
The family’s account has amplified demands for clarity about what Nottinghamshire Police knew regarding the individual’s behaviour and any assessment of risk to the families. According to the family’s statements to media, the person was known to authorities and had links to the Prevent programme — and had previously been detained under the Mental Health Act.
Representatives of the bereaved families have said that they only became aware of the full extent of the alleged stalking from information revealed through the inquiry process. That has prompted renewed calls from campaigners and relatives for improvements in how police and other agencies communicate risks to victims and bereaved families.
| Victims | Perpetrator |
|---|---|
| Barnaby Webber | Valdo Calocane |
| Grace O’Malley-Kumar | Valdo Calocane |
| Ian Coates | Valdo Calocane |
Local residents and community groups have followed the inquiry closely. The Webber family’s public comments are likely to increase pressure on Nottinghamshire Police to set out, in more detail, the timeline of contacts, risk assessments and any decisions not to share information with the families concerned.
Calls for improved victim protection and transparency
The case has already had a profound effect on Nottingham’s communities. Campaigners emphasise that bereaved families must be kept informed when there is any potential risk to their safety. The precise nature of the communications between agencies, including policing and mental health services, will be central to the inquiry’s work.
For now, Mrs Webber’s words convey the weariness of families who feel they have repeatedly encountered institutional failings. Her question to authorities — rhetorical and direct — captures the sense of frustration: if information existed that could have helped protect them, why was it not shared?
The public inquiry continues to examine the circumstances surrounding the 2023 killings and associated safeguarding arrangements. Nottinghamshire Police have been approached for comment about the family’s allegations and the disclosures; any formal response will be reported when available.
The families’ statements underline the human cost of procedural lapses and the urgent need for clarity so that others do not endure similar distress.
