Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS trust is being investigated for corporate manslaughter after Nottingham attacks
The NHS trust responsible for the care of Nottingham attacks killer Valdo Calocane is under investigation over possible corporate manslaughter offences.
Northumbria Police has confirmed it is investigating Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police.
Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, killed University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, on 13 June 2023.
He also attempted to kill three other people by driving a van at them.
The trust was responsible for Calocane’s mental health care for around two years before he was discharged from its services in September 2022.
During that period, he was detained under the Mental Health Act four times. A statutory public inquiry, which concluded its main evidence hearings in May, was told that Calocane was discharged after repeatedly failing to attend appointments and becoming “lost” to the team responsible for his care.
The families of those killed said the trust had “catastrophically failed at every level” and welcomed the police investigation.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We are in contact with the victims’ families and survivors and are committed to supporting them throughout this process.
“It would not be appropriate for us to comment any further.”
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said it would cooperate fully with the investigation.
A spokesperson said: “Northumbria Police, acting on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police, have begun an investigation into matters relating to the care and treatment of Valdo Calocane.
“We know how important the independent inquiry and police investigation are for the affected families, the survivors and our local communities.
“We will, of course, be co-operating fully with Northumbria Police, as we have with the statutory inquiry into these matters which is being chaired by Her Honour Deborah Taylor, and which will hear final submissions from all the parties involved later this year.”
Nottinghamshire Police has separately faced criticism over its previous contact with Calocane and its handling of the response to and investigation of the attacks.
Calocane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder.
Now aged 34, he is being held under an indefinite hospital order at a high-security psychiatric hospital.
