Valdo Calocane, ‘knife killer’ from Nottingham, denies murdering three people
Nottingham ‘knife killer’ Valdo Calocane has denied murdering three people during a spate of stabbings in the UK.
The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19, who were stabbed as they walked home after a night out in Nottingham in the early hours of June 13.
He also admitted the manslaughter of school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, and the theft of his van, and the attempted murder of three pedestrians, who he ran over with the van at Nottingham Crown Court this morning.
But Calocane, who now goes by the name Adam Mendes, denied murdering Ms. O’Malley-Kumar, Mr. Webber and Mr. Coates, alleging diminished responsibility.
Peter Joyce KC, defending, said Calocane, who was flanked by eight people in the dock, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. He told the judge: ‘You know what the issues are and the world should know this: the defendant does not dispute the physical acts in any of the prosecution’s case. Although he committed these terrible acts, he did so while suffering from extreme mental illness.
After admitting three counts of manslaughter, he admitted three counts of attempted murder, relating to pedestrians Sharon Miller, Marcin
Gawronski and Wayne Birkett, who were injured after being hit by the van.
Medical student Mrs O’Malley-Kumar and history student Mr Webber were found fatally stabbed in Ilkeston Road at around 4am on June 13.
Coates, 65, was found stabbed to death in Magdala Road after his van was allegedly stolen.
Calocane allegedly used the van to hit a pedestrian on Milton Street and two other people on South Sherwood Street.
Police were called at 5.30am to the incident, which reportedly occurred outside the Theater Royal.
The defendant, of no fixed address, was later arrested on suspicion of murder outside a shop in Bentinck Road, Forest Fields.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the driver of a marked police car saw the vehicle for “less than a minute” before it collided with pedestrians on South Sherwood Street.
Mr Webber’s family described their “utter devastation” at the “senseless murder of our son”, saying he was a “beautiful, bright and intelligent young man with everything ahead of him in life”.
Mrs O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a ‘truly wonderful and beautiful young woman’ and that she would be ‘greatly missed’.
Two of Mr Coates’ children said his death “shook everyone’s world”, adding: “No one deserves this, but he definitely didn’t.”
Police revealed the suspect is a former University of Nottingham student, but said it was “not believed to be linked to the attack”.
The case against Calocane has been postponed until January 16, 2024.
Source: www.lindaikejisblog.com