Nottingham attacks suspect Valdo Calocane to enter pleas in September

Three people died and another three were injured after a deadly attack in Nottingham City Centre.

The man accused of murdering three people and attempting to kill three others in a spate of attacks in Nottingham will enter his pleas in September.

Valdo Calocane was charged with murdering 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates, in knife attacks in Nottingham on 13 June.

The 31-year-old is also charged with attempting to murder three pedestrians; Wayne Birkett, Marcin Gawronski and Sharon Miller, by driving Mr Coates’ van at them in Milton Street and Upper Parliament Street.

Former University of Nottingham student Calocane, of no fixed abode, appeared in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday 20 June wearing a grey prison jumper and tracksuit, and flanked by five security officers.

He gave his name as "Adam Mendes", as he had on Saturday when he faced magistrates in the city on Saturday.

Calocane remained calm in the dock and was not asked to enter pleas during the hearing in the packed courtroom.

Peter Ratliff, prosecuting, said: "This is a complex and ongoing investigation with multiple lines of inquiry being pursued."

Judge Nirmal Shant KC adjourned proceedings until a plea and trial preparation hearing on 25 September at the same court and thanked the families of the victims for their “upmost restraint”.

Speaking to Mr Ratliff, with members of Mr Coates’ family in court, the judge said: “There are a number of people here today who are profoundly and devastatingly affected by this case.

"Can I say through you that they have shown the upmost restraint and dignity and I thank them for it.”

Judge Shant set a provisional trial date of January 12 2024 and remanded Calocane into custody.

Who was injured in the Nottingham attacks?

University of Nottingham student Barnaby Webber, 19, was stabbed to death on Ilkeston Street, Nottingham, alongside fellow student Grace O’Malley-Kumar, also 19.

The family of Mr Webber described their “complete devastation” at the “senseless murder of our son”, saying he was a “beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to”.

Ms O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a “truly wonderful and beautiful young lady” and that she would be “so dearly missed”.

Ian Coates, 65, also died in the attacks last Tuesday.

Two of Mr Coates’ sons said his death had “rocked everyone’s world”, adding: “Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t.”

Thousands attended vigils at the university and Old Market Square to remember the victims.

Thousands gathered at a vigil for the victims of the Nottingham attack.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating after Nottinghamshire Police referred itself to the watchdog the day after the attacks.

The IOPC said on Friday that an officer driving a single-crewed vehicle was responding to a related call when it came across the van allegedly being driven by Calocane.

Dashcam footage suggests the officer had sight of it for less than a minute before it hit pedestrians.

The officer immediately stopped to give first aid to those who had been hit, with the investigation to consider whether the actions of the van driver were influenced by the presence of the police car.

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