Nottingham Killer Valdo Calocane Deceived Medical Staff, Inquiry Hears From Ex-Nurse
A former nurse has testified at a public inquiry that Valdo Calocane, the man responsible for fatal attacks in Nottingham, "deceived" and "out-manoeuvred" medical staff. Calocane, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, stabbed Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates to death, and attempted to kill three others on 13 June 2023.
Gary Carter, who resigned from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in 2025, informed the Nottingham Inquiry that trust services "failed" to manage Calocane's care. Carter, who faces disciplinary action, served as Calocane's care co-ordinator (CCO) from April to September 2022, when Calocane was discharged due to a lack of engagement.
Carter stated he had learnt 95% of what he knew about Calocane since the attacks, remarking, "Basically, this man in a nutshell, he lied, he deceived, he out-manoeuvred medical staff in particular, on the ward and in the community. He wasn't honest." He added that Calocane "out-manoeuvred medical and nursing services within the trust" without the benefit of hindsight.
Carter claimed the handover process when he became CCO was "inadequate" and admitted he did not read all of Calocane's background notes due to time constraints. As Calocane disengaged, missing numerous calls and appointments between June and August 2022, Carter made a 'cold call' visit to an address Calocane no longer inhabited.
When challenged on the lack of steps taken to locate Calocane, Carter suggested that after the failed visit, contacting the police was the only remaining option before discharge, which he deemed a poor idea. Calocane was discharged in September 2022.
Carter denied involvement in the discharge decision, stating, "People had just run out of ideas as to how to manage this man, when it was blatantly obvious what needed to happen to him." He clarified that Calocane "needed to be admitted to hospital for a lengthy period of time and treated. It really is that simple."
Acknowledging his own role, Carter remarked, "I played my part, I'm not avoiding nothing." He resigned from the trust after being informed the attacks were unavoidable, feeling compelled to express his own views on the tragedy. Calocane's history of non-concordance with medication was well-known, yet he avoided long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication (depot), with medical staff reportedly acceding to his wishes.
Concerns about Calocane's mental health were not shared with the University of Nottingham, where he was a student from 2017 to 2022, to avoid "stigmatising the patient." Carter also suggested Calocane's race might have been a factor in information-sharing decisions, though it was not discussed formally. He conceded that descriptions of Calocane in records as "polite" and "personable" may have "obscured" his risk. The inquiry continues.
