A former university student is set to appear in court today (Saturday, June 17) to face murder and attempted murder charges following knife and van attacks in Nottingham.
Valdo Calocane is accused of killing University of Nottingham students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber and school caretaker Ian Coates in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The 31-year-old is also alleged to have attempted to murder three pedestrians after Mr Coates’ van was used to drive at people in Milton Street and South Sherwood Street.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said two patients were now stable and one had been discharged following the van incidents.
READ MORE: ‘Hero’ Grace died in Nottingham attack ‘trying to save Barnaby’
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the driver of a marked police car had sight of the vehicle for “less than a minute” before it collided with the pedestrians in South Sherwood Street. Medical student Ms O’Malley-Kumar and history student Mr Webber, both 19, were found fatally knifed on Ilkeston Road at around 4am.
Mr Coates, 65, was then found dead in Magdala Road after his van was allegedly stolen. 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”.
Two of Mr Coates’ sons said his death had “rocked everyone’s world”, adding: “Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t.”
Police revealed the suspect was a former student at the University of Nottingham, but said, “this is not believed to be connected with the attack”.
The defendant, of no fixed address, was due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court later.
