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2023 Nottingham attacks

On 13 June 2023, three people were fatally stabbed and three others were injured when a stolen van was driven into a bus stop crowd in Nottingham, England, in three connected attacks committed by Valdo Calocane, who was later found to have diminished responsibility due to mental illness.

SOLVED2023

Nottingham, East Midlands, United Kingdom

3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
30 of '(Our own country. Descriptive, historical, pictorial.)' (11246408204)
30 of '(Our own country. Descriptive, historical, pictorial.)' (11246408204) — Credit: The British Library · No restrictions

In the early morning of 13 June 2023, three people were killed and three others injured in a series of connected attacks in Nottingham, in the East Midlands of the United Kingdom. At around 04:00 BST, Valdo Calocane fatally stabbed two 19-year-old University of Nottingham students, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, on Ilkeston Road, Radford. He then fatally stabbed 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates on Magdala Road in Mapperley Park and stole his van. Calocane subsequently drove the van into people waiting at a bus stop near the Theatre Royal in the city centre, injuring three people, one critically, before attempting to run over two further pedestrians in the Sherwood Street area. He was arrested after approaching police with a knife and being tasered outside a convenience store in Bentinck Road.

An eyewitness described seeing the two students being attacked and the male victim collapse in the road. CCTV footage also appeared to show the suspect attempting to break into a hostel bedroom less than an hour after the initial stabbings. Police worked with counter-terrorism officers while keeping an "open mind" on motive, and said they believed the perpetrator had acted alone.

Calocane, a dual Guinea-Bissau/Portuguese national who was 31 at the time and had settled UK status, had come to the UK in 2007 and grew up in Haverfordwest, Wales. He graduated in mechanical engineering from the University of Nottingham in 2022 and had no prior criminal record but a documented history of mental health issues. He was charged on 16 June 2023 with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, and remanded in custody on 17 June. In November 2023, he denied the murder charges but admitted three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder; these pleas were accepted by the prosecution. On 25 January 2024, he was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to indefinite detention at a high-security hospital.

Following the sentencing, the Attorney General's office referred the sentence for review as potentially "unduly lenient." A Court of Appeal hearing in May 2024 concluded that the sentencing judge had not erred and that the sentence was not unduly lenient. NHS England also launched an investigation into Calocane's contact with mental health services dating back to 2020, and Leicestershire Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over an earlier, unactioned report that Calocane had assaulted two colleagues six weeks before the Nottingham attacks.

The attacks prompted vigils across Nottingham, tributes from national and church leaders, and gestures of remembrance in cricket and other sporting events. In 2024, Nottinghamshire Police referred itself to police oversight bodies over both its handling of a police pursuit of the stolen van and over demeaning WhatsApp messages some officers exchanged about the case, which prompted an open letter of protest from Barnaby Webber's mother. In October 2025, Grace O'Malley-Kumar was posthumously awarded the George Medal for bravery in defending Webber during the attack.

Key facts

Victims
Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar
Date
2023
Location
Nottingham, East Midlands, United Kingdom
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2023-06-13

    Valdo Calocane fatally stabs students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar on Ilkeston Road, then kills school caretaker Ian Coates and steals his van; drives van into people at a bus stop near Theatre Royal, injuring three; arrested after being tasered.

  2. 2023-06-14

    Detectives granted 36 additional hours to question Calocane by Nottingham Magistrates' Court.

  3. 2023-06-15

    Nottinghamshire Police refer part of the incident, involving a police pursuit of the van, to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

  4. 2023-06-16

    Calocane charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.

  5. 2023-06-17

    Calocane makes first court appearance and is remanded in custody.

  6. 2023-11

    Calocane denies murder but admits three counts of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder; pleas accepted by prosecution.

  7. 2024-01-23

    Calocane's plea formally accepted by the court.

  8. 2024-01-25

    Calocane sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to indefinite detention at a high-security hospital.

  9. 2024-01-26

    Attorney General's office announces it will consider reviewing the sentence as potentially unduly lenient; NHS England announces investigation into Calocane's mental health service contact.

  10. 2024-05-08

    Court of Appeal hearing begins into whether the sentence should be changed.

  11. 2024-04

    Emma Webber, mother of victim Barnaby Webber, writes open letter after Nottinghamshire Police referred itself to the IOPC over officers' WhatsApp messages about the case.

  12. 2025-10

    Grace O'Malley-Kumar posthumously awarded the George Medal for bravery.

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People

  • Valdo Calocane

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder; sentenced to indefinite detention at a high-security hospital.

  • Ian Coates

    VICTIM

    65-year-old school caretaker fatally stabbed on Magdala Road; his van was stolen and used to injure others.

  • Barnaby Webber

    VICTIM

    19-year-old University of Nottingham history student fatally stabbed on Ilkeston Road, Radford.

  • Grace O'Malley-Kumar

    VICTIM

    19-year-old University of Nottingham medicine student fatally stabbed on Ilkeston Road, Radford; posthumously awarded the George Medal for bravery.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • 30 of '(Our own country. Descriptive, historical, pictorial.)' (11246408204)

    other document

    30 of '(Our own country. Descriptive, historical, pictorial.)' (11246408204)

    Credit: The British Library · No restrictions · Source

Places

Nottingham, East Midlands, United Kingdom

52.9548, -1.1581

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On 13 June 2023, three people were fatally stabbed and three others were injured when a stolen van was driven into a bus stop crowd in Nottingham, England, in three connected attacks committed by Valdo Calocane, who was later found to have diminished responsibility due to mental illness.
Where did the crime happen?
Nottingham, East Midlands, United Kingdom.
Who was convicted?
Valdo Calocane (Pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder; sentenced to indefinite detention at a high-security hospital.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDIC2023 Nottingham attacksWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026

  1. JUL 13, 2026Correction

    Catalog QA: moved to the archive tier without removing the public dossier.

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