In the early hours of June 13, 2023, Nottingham was shaken by a violent spree by Valdo Calocane, have a look at his bio, age and nationality
At the center of the tragedy in Nottingham was Valdo Calocane, a former University of Nottingham student whose descent into violence has left a community in shock and raised critical questions about mental health awareness.
Who is Valdo Calocane Nottingham stabbing suspect, bio, age, nationality, religion, education
Nottingham knife killer Valdo Calocane: Manslaughter plea accepted, for stabbing Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber & Ian Coates to death
Grace's heartbroken brother, James, said: "I will never forgive him. He's taken away my older sister and one day, when my parents are gone,… pic.twitter.com/sDirxnWKFK
— Martin Daubney 🇬🇧 (@MartinDaubney) January 23, 2024
Valdo Calocane, a dual Guinea-Bissau/Portuguese national migrated to the UK at the age of 16. Raised in a hard-working Christian family, he was described as “quiet and withdrawn,” eventually moving out of the family house at 17.
Despite not sitting for his A-level exams due to self-doubt, Valdo Calocane found his way to the University of Nottingham by graduating in 2022 with a degree in mechanical engineering.
so after assaulting and harassing university students, to the point of the police being called you're telling me the university of Nottingham lobbied for the killer Valdo Calocane to not be prosecuted by authorities?? three people are dead because our institutions failed to act pic.twitter.com/mma5qNJWRf
— Celestial Skeptic 🌍 (@Calzeto1_) January 23, 2024
However, beneath the surface, Calocane harbored a history of mental health challenges. While at university, he was assessed under the Mental Health Act in 2020 after an incident where he attempted to break down doors in his student accommodation.
Diagnosed as psychotic but deemed a “low risk to others,” Calocane concealed his debilitating mental illness from his parents, intermittently relying on anti-psychotic medication.
NOTTINGHAM 🏴 West African migrant pleads guilty to three counts of manslaughter following a deadly stabbing spree in June 2023. Valdo Calocane had a history of mental illness and threatening behaviour. One former flatmate called him a "ticking time bomb".#NewToTheParish pic.twitter.com/aakLGb3KZQ
— 243Cal 🇮🇪 (@243_cal) January 23, 2024
The troubling signs escalated over the years. Calocane was sectioned multiple times, including an alarming incident during the lockdown where he followed a woman home, causing her to escape through a window. His erratic behavior earned him a chilling nickname, “serial killer,” from former flatmates after he put one of them in a headlock in 2021.
Valdo Calocane’s case
The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of June 13, 2023 when 19-year-old university students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber were fatally stabbed on their way back from a nightclub. Minutes later, Calocane proceeded to Milton Street where he fatally stabbed 65-year-old Ian Coates, a school caretaker, before stealing his van.
He then used the stolen vehicle to mow down three people, leaving one in critical condition and two with mild injuries.
Calocane’s rampage ended with his arrest at around 5:30 am, subdued by police using a taser. During the subsequent court hearing at Nottingham Crown Court, it was revealed that Calocane was suffering from “extreme” mental illness, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia.
His admission to three counts of manslaughter and three of attempted murder marked a significant point in the legal proceedings, with sentencing scheduled for January 24, 2024.
The case of Valdo Calocane raises urgent questions about the intersections of mental health, community awareness, and support mechanisms.