Families demand murder retrial for Valdo Calocane after mental health failures
- Valdo Calocane was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and exhibited a pattern of violence leading up to the attacks.
- Following a damning NHS report detailing failures in his mental health care, families of the victims are calling for a retrial for murder.
- The case has sparked significant outrage and demands for accountability and change in mental health practices.
In the United Kingdom, the aftermath of Valdo Calocane's brutal attack in June 2023 still reverberates throughout the community and the families of his victims. Calocane, a 32-year-old individual diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, killed three people—19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates, a 65-year-old caretaker. After his sentencing for these crimes in January 2024, Calocane was given an indefinite hospital order rather than a prison sentence, following a plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to his mental health issues. This decision has caused public outcry and demands for accountability from various stakeholders. An independent review into Calocane's mental health care revealed serious failings within the National Health Service (NHS). Despite a history of violent behavior and multiple admissions to mental health facilities, he was allowed to refuse long-acting antipsychotic treatment due to his dislike of needles. The report highlighted that the care offered was often insufficient to meet his needs and failed to factor in the cumulative perspective of his repeated violent incidents. As a result, he was discharged back into the community multiple times, despite ongoing issues indicating his potential danger to others. The families of Calocane's victims have publicly expressed their anger and disappointment with the system, describing their fight for accountability as essential. They argue that a series of systemic failures allowed for Calocane's behavior to go unaddressed, ultimately leading to the tragic murders. The families contend that the grounds for Calocane's manslaughter plea were flawed, as recent findings from health authorities disputed the original diagnosis of treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia upon which his legal defense was based. Despite the distressing circumstances and revelations about the failures of mental health care, the families are determined to seek justice. They have called for Calocane to face murder charges instead of remaining in a psychiatric hospital. Holding news conferences and demanding governmental support, they aim to ensure that their loved ones' deaths do not become just a footnote in the ongoing discussion about mental health treatment and accountability. Their plight embodies a fundamental struggle not only for closure but for systemic change to prevent such tragedies in the future.