Investigation connected to Nottingham attacks completed, says police watchdog

An investigation into the actions of an officer who came across a van allegedly being driven by a man accused of killing three people in a spate of attacks in Nottingham has been completed, a police watchdog has said. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) started an investigation into Nottinghamshire Police’s involvement in the incident on June 13, after the force referred itself to the watchdog the day after the attacks. Valdo Calocane, 32, is accused of a knife and van rampage in the city which resulted in the deaths of university students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19; and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65.

Three other pedestrians: Sharon Miller, Marcin Gawronski and Wayne Birkett, were hit with a van he had allegedly stolen from Mr Coates. The IOPC previously said that an officer driving a single-crewed vehicle was responding to a related call when it came across the van allegedly being driven by Calocane. Dashcam footage suggested the officer had sight of it for less than a minute before it hit two of the pedestrians in South Sherwood Street.

The officer immediately stopped to give first aid to those who had been hit, with the investigation considering whether the actions of the van driver were influenced by the presence of the police car. An IOPC spokesman said: “Our investigation into the circumstances of Nottinghamshire Police’s interaction with a van prior to the collision on June 13 was completed in September. “We have updated the two pedestrians who were injured in the incident and provided the force with our investigation report.

“We will publish our findings following the conclusion of associated criminal proceedings.”

On Tuesday at Nottingham Crown Court, Calocane pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder but admitted their manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder at the same hearing.