[Nes] Update: Ex-university student to appear in court today over murder and attempted murder charges following Nottingham knife and van attacks that killed three

A former university student will appear in court today to face murder and attempted murder charges following knife and van attacks in Nottingham that killed three.

 

Valdo Calocane, 31,  is accused of killing nineteen-year-old University of Nottingham students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, June 13.

 

 

He is also alleged to have attempted to murder three pedestrians after Mr. Coates’ van was used to drive at people onon Milton Street and South Sherwood Street.

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said two patients are now stable and one has been discharged following the van incidents.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) 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 was then found dead on 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’ who 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 is a former University of Nottingham student, but said ‘this is not believed to be connected with the attack’.

The defendant, of no fixed address, is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court later.