IOPC to investigate contact Leicestershire Police had with Valdo Calocane prior to killing three people in Nottingham

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has begun an investigation into the contact that Leicestershire Police had with Valdo Calocane prior to killing three people in Nottingham. 

The investigation follows our assessment of the referral from the force after the conclusion of criminal proceedings last month (January) when Calocane was found guilty of the manslaughter of students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar and school caretaker Ian Coates in June 2023. Three people were also injured on the same morning after being struck by a car he was driving.

During the criminal proceedings, several incidents involving previous police contact with Calocane were brought to our attention which we were unaware of. As a result, we asked Nottinghamshire Police and Leicestershire Police to provide us with information about those incidents to establish whether there are any matters that should be referred to us. 

On Monday 29 January we received a referral from Leicestershire Police about its investigation into assaults Valdo Calocane was alleged to have committed on 5 May 2023. Following this on 1 February we received a referral from Nottinghamshire Police concerning a number of prior contacts the force had with Valdo Calocane dating back to 2020.

We requested further information from both forces which we carefully considered before deciding that an independent investigation into the prior contact by Leicestershire Police was required. The referral from Nottinghamshire Police remains under consideration and we will provide an update on that in due course.

Our investigation will consider the actions and decisions of Leicestershire Police, focusing on their response to the alleged assaults.

We will also examine whether any person serving with the force may have behaved in a manner which would justify disciplinary proceedings.  

IOPC Regional Director Derrick Campbell said: “First and foremost, my thoughts and sympathies go to Barnaby’s, Grace’s and Ian’s families and friends and everyone who has understandably been affected by the tragic deaths and the injuries sustained in June last year.

“We have been in contact with Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Police recently about the referrals, which followed the level of public concern raised by the trial last month.

“Our investigation will be thorough and completely independent of the police. We will be looking at whether the investigation into the alleged assaults was progressed properly and whether this presents any opportunity for individual or organisational learning.”