Grace O’Malley-Kumar: Mourners pay tribute to 'angelic' Nottingham attack victim

The coffin of Grace O'Malley-Kumar is carried from her funeral at Westminster Cathedral. Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

More than 1,000 guests gathered at Westminster Cathedral for the funeral of "angelic" Nottingham attack victim Grace O’Malley-Kumar.

In an emotional eulogy, Ms O'Malley-Kumar's father said his daughter was "amazing" while her mother described the medical student as "the perfect gift" who had been “cruelly and inexplicably taken” from her family.

Mourners gather beside the hearse outside Westminster Cathedral Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA

During the funeral, her father Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: “No father should be called upon to give a eulogy for their child.

“It’s not the natural order of things. It generally means something really unnatural has taken place and unfortunately for me, my beloved daughter Grace has been taken away from us.”

Dr Kumar spoke about his daughter’s dedication to medicine and mentioned that she had volunteered to vaccinate people when he became the operations lead for a Covid vaccination centre in Waltham Forest.

Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber were killed in the Nottingham attacks in June Credit: Family handout/Lucy Sheffield/Southgate Hockey Club/PA

The congregation heard that Ms O’Malley-Kumar had wanted to apply to the Royal Army Medical Corps to further her medical training, inspired by her father and uncle, an orthopaedic surgeon.

Dr Kumar said: “I look back now and I am astonished by her resolve.

“Here we have a child who wanted to outdo her father and her uncle in public service.

“I have to ask, what kind of angelic child tries to outdo others in serving her country and her community, but that is exactly the sort of girl Grace was, she was truly amazing.”

A mourner holds an Order of Service as they gather outside the funeral of of Grace O'Malley-Kumar. Credit: PA

Her mother Sinead O’Malley told the service her daughter had "came into our lives here in Westminster at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington".

“Her birth registered here, and it is now from Westminster that she will leave.

“Grace was such a perfect gift to us.”

Medical student Ms O’Malley-Kumar and history student Barnaby Webber, both 19, were found stabbed to death in Ilkeston Road on June 13.

School caretaker Ian Coates, 65, found stabbed to death on Magdala Road, Nottingham, the same day.

A funeral for Mr Webber was held at Taunton Minster, Somerset, earlier in the month.

Mr Webber’s parents, Emma and David Webber, attended the funeral of Ms O’Malley Kumar and so did Sir Kenneth Olisa, the King’s representative in Greater London.

Former University of Nottingham student Valdo Calocane, 31, was charged with the murder of Ms O’Malley-Kumar, Mr Webber and Mr Coates in June.

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