Killer's Brother Apologizes to Victims' Families

In a poignant revelation, James Coates, whose father Ian Coates was murdered by Valdo Calocane in Nottingham last year, disclosed that he received a letter from Calocane’s brother, Elias, offering condolences. Coates described the letter, sent months ago, as poorly timed and noted that it had upset other families of the victims, who were unaware it had been shared with them. Calocane's violent actions resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, as well as Coates’ father, a 65-year-old school caretaker. Coates expressed his frustration during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, stating that the letter "fell on deaf ears" and that the families were still grappling with their loss. He emphasized the emotional toll of the tragedy, highlighting that while Calocane's family can still communicate with him, he and others are left without their loved ones. Coates lamented the missed opportunities by mental health services, which had previously sectioned Calocane under the Mental Health Act multiple times before losing track of him. A report by the Care Quality Commission revealed significant failures in addressing Calocane’s violent psychosis, identifying five critical moments where intervention could have potentially prevented the tragic events. Coates underscored the lasting impact of the tragedy, stating that he will never see his father again, nor will the other families witness their children grow up, attributing part of the blame to systemic failures within the NHS and police.