Nottingham killer's family sent letter to victim's parents

Families comfort each otherImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

The families offered each other comfort at the University of Nottingham memorial event

  • Published

The parents of Nottingham attacks victim Barnaby Webber have revealed they were sent a letter by the family of their son's killer.

Mr Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were stabbed on 13 June 2023 by Valdo Calocane, who also killed school caretaker Ian Coates, 65.

Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

David Webber, Barnaby's father, told the BBC on Thursday he had no intention of reading the letter sent by Calocane's family.

Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

David Webber speaking at the University of Nottingham ceremony, which honoured the Nottingham attacks victims

Mr Webber said: "We’ve never read it. That might sound awful, but to me it’s not something I want to read.

"He’s a monster. There’s nothing they can say that’s going to make me feel any different.

"I’ve lost my son forever, they’ve still got theirs."

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police
Image caption,

Valdo Calocane admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility

Tributes were paid to the three victims of the Nottingham attacks on Thursday, as the city marked the first anniversary of their deaths.

The families and friends of Miss O'Malley-Kumar, of north-east London, and Mr Webber, of Somerset, returned to the scene of the stabbing.

They walked the same route that the two students took home along Ilkeston Road, and laid flowers by the roadside.

The University of Nottingham, where Miss O'Malley-Kumar and Mr Webber were studying, held a ceremony to pay respects to all three victims of the attacks.

Image caption,

The victims' families retracing the footsteps of Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar on the anniversary of their deaths

Mr Coates was killed in a separate attack in Magdala Road.

Huntingdon Academy in St Ann's, where Mr Coates worked as caretaker for seven years, paid tribute to him with an exhibition.

Pupils wore red to symbolise love and kindness, while honouring Mr Coates' love of Nottingham Forest.

Calocane's sentence was challenged by the victims' families, but the Court of Appeal ruled in May that it was not unduly lenient.

The victims' families said Thursday was about pausing to reflect the loved ones they had lost, but after that, they will continue their fight.

Image caption,

Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were killed on 13 June 2023

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