Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that there will be a public inquiry to look into the Nottingham attacks that happened in June 2023.
This news has brought some relief to the families of the victims, especially Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, the father of Grace O’Malley-Kumar, one of the young people who lost their lives in the attack.
Dr. Kumar shared his feelings with GB News, saying that this announcement is a very important moment for the families who have been waiting for answers for a long time. He described it as a moment where they could finally breathe out after holding their breath for the past 18 months.
The inquiry will investigate the deaths of three people: Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19 years old, and Ian Coates, who was 65. They were all tragically killed by Valdo Calocane, who stabbed them on June 13, 2023. Calocane later admitted to the crimes and was sentenced to a hospital order in January 2024.
The Prime Minister assured the families that the inquiry would start very soon, within a few weeks. This official inquiry will have the power to call witnesses and make them answer questions about any mistakes or failures by the authorities that might have contributed to the tragedy.
Dr. Kumar expressed his gratitude for the Prime Minister’s apology regarding how the authorities handled the case. He said that hearing the Prime Minister say sorry for the failures of the authorities was an important moment for the families.
He also mentioned that the inquiry will allow them to ask questions directly to witnesses and get answers to the many unresolved concerns they have had since the attacks.
Dr. Kumar emphasized that every time Calocane interacted with the authorities before the attacks, there were failures that led to this tragedy. He believes the inquiry will finally shed light on what went wrong and provide the families with the clarity they need.
This inquiry is a big step forward for the families, as it will be led by a judge and will thoroughly examine all aspects of the case, including the mental health care Calocane received before the attacks. The families hope this will bring them closer to understanding how such a terrible event could have happened and how to prevent something like this in the future.
