Psychiatrist Warned Valdo Calocane of Killing Risk Three Years Before Nottingham Attacks
A consultant psychiatrist warned Valdo Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, that he "would end up killing someone" in July 2020. This warning came three years before Calocane fatally stabbed 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and grandfather Ian Coates, in Nottingham on 13 June 2023. He also attacked three other individuals.
During the Nottingham Inquiry, Dr Faizal Seedat, Calocane's consultant from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, testified that the comment was part of a "frank conversation" to illustrate a "worst-case scenario" if Calocane continued with his behaviours. Seedat was Calocane's consultant during two admissions to Highbury Hospital in 2020. Despite the stark warning, Seedat maintained he did not believe Calocane would actually commit murder, interpreting potential harm as unintended, such as someone being injured by jumping from a height during a psychotic episode.
The inquiry also revealed that Calocane's mother provided Seedat with text messages from early 2020, in which Calocane expressed violent thoughts, including a reference to "red rum". Seedat told the inquiry he was unaware "red rum" signified murder, assuming it held religious context. Consequently, he did not question Calocane about the phrase and failed to share the full transcript of these messages with other mental health professionals, instead offering only a summary. Seedat acknowledged, in hindsight, that he "maybe should have" shared the complete messages in multi-disciplinary meetings.
Calocane attempted to contact Seedat on several occasions after Seedat was no longer directly involved in his care, including visiting Highbury Hospital in August 2021 to discuss voices he had heard. Seedat, however, declined to re-engage, citing his "own responsibilities" and the fact Calocane was no longer his patient. He questioned the efficacy of his involvement if the patient was not listening to other care providers. The inquiry continues to examine these systemic failings.
