'Every single agency failed - without exception': Families of Nottingham attack victims say 'fear of stigma and bias' left Valdo Calocane free before killings as inquiry finishes hearing evidence

By MARTIN ROBINSON, CHIEF REPORTER Published: 12:32, 8 June 2026 | Updated: 12:39, 8 June 2026 The mother of a Nottingham student stabbed to death by 'monster' Valdo Calocane believes he was free to kill because 'every single agency failed'. Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, 19, said her son's killer was not stopped in part due to the 'fear' of being accused of 'stigma and bias' towards the knifeman. Barnaby was killed alongside his friend Grace O'Malley-Kumar, also 19, in the early hours of June 13 2023 while they were walking home from a night out. Calocane was carrying a rucksack of weapons when he killed the teenagers, before stabbing 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates and using his van to try to murder three pedestrians. Emma Webber believes the systemic failings in the Notttingham case have clear parallels to the murder of Henry Nowak. 'The fear of stigma and bias was placed above safety and duty', she said of Calocane's crimes.  'There are many Valdo Calocanes amongst us out there. I think if urgent action doesn't happen, it will continue, not just to university students... because you don't know who's amongst us.'  Mrs Webber said at a press conference today: 'A monster was left at large in the shadows to stalk his prey. 'Every single agency failed. Every single one. Without exception. Mental health services fail to treat and manage. Police repeatedly failed to act. Agencies didn't talk. Individuals chose to look the other way. Warnings were ignored.  'People chose not to care or be curious. And the fear of stigma and bias was placed above safety and duty. And when it went wrong, too many closed ranks. Instead of owning their mistakes'.   Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, wipes her eye during a press conference with the families of the Nottingham attack victims where she said those attacked by Valdo Calocane were failed by every agency Valdo Calocane has been handed an indefinite hospital order for the killing spree. Mrs Webber says in his case: 'The fear of stigma and bias was placed above safety and duty' She added: 'For months we've sat through the statutory public inquiry and watched the evidence unfold. It has been brutal, bruising and harrowing beyond measure, but it was so very necessary. Just look at what it has uncovered'. The final report is due to be released next year.  Speaking after the inquiry into the attacks heard from its final witness on Friday, she said there were 'absolutely' parallels between her son's death and 18-year-old Mr Nowak, who was handcuffed by police officers who ignored his pleas that he had been stabbed as he lay dying. Mr Nowak's killer Vickrum Digwa told police at the scene in Southampton that he had been the victim of a racist attack. Mrs Webber said: 'That's one of many, if we start to delve into our agencies and systems in this country a little bit deeper, it's replicated in every city, in every part of the UK.' Speaking about the inquiry itself, which has now concluded after months of evidence and 164 witness testimonies, Mrs Webber said: 'It's been bruising, brutal, heart-wrenching, tragic, sickening. 'It's actually been nearly three years since it happened, and the failures keep coming.' An inquiry has been looking into how a mentally ill man was free to kill three people, (left to right) Ian Coates, Mr Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar. The findings will be published next year Mrs Webber (front) with husband Dave (back right), and sons Barney (Back left) and Charlie (Back centre), taken on their last family holiday in Palma in 2022, a year before Barney was stabbed to death in Nottingham Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Ms O'Malley-Kumar, said: 'The important thing is that this is not an end of any sort for us. 'This is very much, I think, the beginning of accountability. Our fight has been about accountability and about the fact this should never happen to a family in England again. 'If you don't find people accountable, you will never change your system. Systems are made out of people, and it's really important to find the people who simply just didn't do their jobs accountable.' When asked what is next for the families before the inquiry resumes in September for closing statements, Dr Kumar said there is still more evidence to come to light given there was no trial for the killings. He said: 'I don't think we've seen enough of the investigation out in the public yet.' Mr Coates' son Darren Coates, accompanied by his brother Lee, told reporters: 'It's been a whirlwind coming here, we've been exposed to so much more than what we actually thought, it's been awful, but like Sanjoy said, this is the start. 'We're not going to stop, we're going to keep going, going and going.' The comments below have been moderated in advance. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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