The death of Barnaby Webber, a student killed in the 2023 Nottingham attacks, was potentially preventable had he received different medical treatment at the scene, a panel of experts found during an ongoing inquiry. Webber, 19, was one of three people fatally stabbed by Valdo Calocane, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.
The inquiry heard Tuesday that a more rapid administration of blood products could have increased Webber's chances of reaching the hospital with a viable heartbeat for surgery. The expert panel determined that Webber's death had a less than 50% chance of survival and was categorized as 'potentially preventable.' In contrast, the deaths of fellow student Grace O'Malley-Kumar, also 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, were deemed 'not preventable.'
Valdo Calocane, who stabbed the three victims before using a stolen van to attempt to run down three pedestrians, is currently serving a hospital order after being convicted of the killings. The inquiry has heard evidence of multiple failings by police, mental health services, and other public authorities in the lead-up to the attacks. Calocane had been detained under mental health laws four times prior to the stabbings.
Counsel to the inquiry, Rachel Langdale KC, presented the panel's findings, which were based on the victim's medical records and witness statements. Dr. Claire Park, a consultant in pre-hospital emergency and intensive care, led the expert panel. Langdale stated that while responders provided compassionate and efficient care to Webber at the scene, the panel believed treatment could have been improved. Specifically, more aggressive volume resuscitation at the scene might have allowed Webber to reach the hospital for immediate surgery. However, the panel concluded that 'rapid and meticulous steps' would have been necessary for his survival en route to intensive care, and there was only a small chance he could have survived his injuries.
Regarding Grace O'Malley-Kumar, the panel found she was already in cardiorespiratory distress upon discovery. While responders did their best, her injuries were assessed as not survivable, and resuscitation was unlikely to be successful. Ian Coates's death was also categorized as non-preventable due to the severity of his injuries, with the panel opining that even an enhanced care team present immediately after the attack would not have been able to save him.
Lawyers representing the victims' families argued that Calocane presented a clear and growing risk from 2020, asserting that all three victims would still be alive if not for repeated individual and systemic failures. The inquiry's closing submissions are ongoing.