Nottingham attacks: Prime Minister promises judge-led inquiry
Sir Keir Starmer speaking to ITV News Political Correspondent Alison Mackenzie
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised to follow through on his commitment to hold a 'judge-led' inquiry into the Nottingham attacks.
Speaking to ITV News Political Correspondent Alison Mackenzie on if he would commit to a judge-led inquiry into the attacks, Sir Keir Starmer said:
"It will be judge-led. I’ve been really clear. I’ve met the family, they talked me through what they’ve been through which is almost impossible to imagine.
"And I saw them face to face and I gave them that commitment to a judge led inquiry.
"I’m very happy to affirm it again today. That’s come from listening to them in terms of the awful ordeal they have been through.
"Not just the awful incident itself but then the follow on through the criminal justice system."
School caretaker Ian Coates, who was 65, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar who were both 19 were all killed by Valdo Calocane on the 13th June in Nottingham 2023.
In a Panorama investigation it was revealed a psychiatrist warned Calocane could “end up killing someone” three years before the attacks.
It came out after the final part of a special Care Quality Commission (CQC) review into the care of Calocane by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) found risk assessments “minimised or omitted” key details of the serious risk he posed to others.
In response to the CQC findings, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust said it's "truly sorry" that "sometimes we have let down patients and families", and that it has made improvements to staff and safety.
Speaking after the announcement Emma Webber said:
"We welcome the confirmation from the Prime Minister that the public inquiry will be, as asked for by all three families, a statutory judge led one.
"Given the level of catastrophic failures wrought upon us by the NHS Mental Health Trust, Nottinghamshire Police and Leicestershire Police, this is the only possible consideration.
"Without a full and compelling inquiry that carries real ‘teeth’ we know that the answers we so desperately seek would not ever be properly addressed.
"To date we have had to suffer the additional trauma of a wide number of investigations and reports across all of the agencies involved.
"Thus far, bar the CQC Section 48 review into Calocane’s care ALL have fallen well short or have not even gotten off the ground.
"Barney, Grace and Ian will not die in vain"
"The families were glad to meet with the Home Secretary on Monday of this week and shared their dismay and lack of confidence in the conduct of the IOPC numerous investigations.
"They have received poor communication, constant changes of boundaries and senior staffing and no agreed terms of reference.
"Clear failings by senior police staff including the CC and SIO have to be fully explored."
Emma Webber said that whilst the IOPC must still be challenged to do their jobs properly, her faith remains only in the outcome of a full inquiry, where "individuals will be held to account and truths must be told that are currently being held back."
She went on to say: "Barney, Grace and Ian will not die in vain and we are committed to seeing this through to the bitter end, whatever that may take."
Ian Coates's son, James said this was what the families wanted to hear and it's something "positive" to hold onto in their search for answers.
He said he is hoping it'll be a real turning point in their search for justice.
In February Nottinghamshire Police said it was unable to comment while the probes continued.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families’ of Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar. “We are conducting thorough investigations into the families complaints concerning Nottinghamshire Police and Leicestershire police and we will continue to update the families on the progress of our work”.
Statutory vs non-statutory: What's the difference?
A judge-led statutory inquiry, unlike a non-statutory inquiry, has legal authority.
Statutory inquiries have the power to make people give evidence and to appear as witnesses.
If you fail to produce asked for evidence or appear before a statutory inquiry, without a reasonable excuse, you will be guilty of a crime.
The public also, with occasional restrictions, can access information from the inquiry.
Non-statutory inquiries are entirely voluntary and the Chair cannot make anyone give evidence if they don't want to.
Non-statutory inquiries can be public or private.
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