Calocane's Mother Says 4 Detentions Showed Broken Mental Health System Before 2023 Nottingham Killings
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 14
Calocane's Mother Says 4 Detentions Showed Broken Mental Health System Before 2023 Nottingham Killings
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 14
Celeste Calocane told the Nottingham Inquiry she repeatedly warned services her son posed a public risk years before he killed three people and tried to kill three others in June 2023.
Four detentions between May 2020 and January 2022 did not bring clear guidance, she said, describing a system she had to navigate alone despite contacting mental health services "100 times".
August 2020 concerns that Valdo Calocane was a risk to others were not properly discussed with her, and she said she was never told about his fourth hospital admission in 2022.
December 2021 consent changes cut off information-sharing with his mother, who told the inquiry she did not believe he had capacity to make that decision.
The public inquiry is examining whether mental health care failures before Calocane's 2023 attacks contributed to the deaths of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates.
A psychiatrist warned the Nottingham attacker could kill. What allowed this critical alert to be ignored for three years?
When a patient cuts off their family, how can services balance individual privacy with warnings of public risk?
A new Mental Health Act is now in force. Can it fix the 'broken' system that failed Nottingham's victims?
Preventable Tragedy: The 2023 Nottingham Attacks, Mental Health System Failures, and the Push for Reform
Overview
The Nottingham attacks in June 2023, carried out by Valdo Calocane—who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia—exposed deep failures in the mental health care system. Despite his known risks, poor decisions and missed opportunities led to a tragedy that claimed three lives and injured others. These events triggered a public inquiry and widespread calls for accountability and reform. NHS officials admitted severe shortcomings, and the system’s inability to protect both patients and the public became clear. The ongoing inquiry and proposed reforms aim to address these systemic issues, improve care, and prevent future tragedies.