Mother Vows Killer of Son Won't Be Released

The mother of a student fatally stabbed by a paranoid schizophrenic has expressed her fury and determination that the killer will not be released, potentially as early as next year. Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was killed by Valdo Calocane in June 2023, stated that Calocane would be freed "over my dead body."

Calocane also killed fellow Nottingham University student Grace O’Malley-Kumar, also 19, as they walked home from a night out. He subsequently stabbed school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, and used his van to strike three pedestrians.

Calocane, who had been sectioned four times prior to the attacks, pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. In January 2024, he was handed an indefinite hospital order. The sentencing judge indicated that Calocane would likely be detained in a high-security hospital for the remainder of his life.

However, Mrs. Webber recently learned that Calocane could apply for release in 2027. She said, "This is somebody who has found his way into the hospital system - so he is a patient, not a criminal. After three years, January 2027, he can apply to go to a tribunal to come out if he's well enough."

Speaking to LBC, Mrs. Webber added, "I mean, of course, he's going to be denied, because quite frankly, Nick [Ferrari], over my dead body will that monster ever come out. And I mean that."

She noted that if Calocane's release is denied, he could reapply annually. The families of the victims had reportedly wanted Calocane to be tried for murder and sentenced to prison, rather than being detained in a hospital. He was sentenced under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983, which allows for a review of his mental health after three years. If doctors assess that he has recovered and is of sound mind, he could become eligible for release.

A section 41 order was also imposed, granting the Justice Secretary or a first-tier tribunal the power to block his release if he is deemed a risk to the public. Notably, a section 45a order was not imposed. The judge, Mr. Justice Turner, explained in his sentencing remarks that this was because Calocane would "present a real danger to prison officers and fellow prisoners alike" if he were to relapse in prison, suggesting that release into the community might be considered if deemed safe.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated, "Public protection is our number one priority. While all patients subject to a hospital order undergo regular reviews of their detention and placement, dangerous killers like Valdo Calocane are highly likely to remain detained for the rest of their lives."