Misconduct meeting for Nottingham killer previous assault investigators delayed

A misconduct meeting for three officers who investigated a previous assault by Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane has been postponed after an “11th hour U-turn”.

An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) report concluded that police failed to properly investigate an assault on warehouse workers by Calocane which could have stopped his murder spree a month later.

The report’s findings, seen by the PA news agency, led to a misconduct meeting being arranged rather than a more serious misconduct hearing for three Leicestershire Police officers, meaning they face a maximum of a final written warning.

Students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates, were killed by Calocane in June 2023.

Barnaby’s mother Emma Webber said it was “disgusting” that the families of the victims had to fight for a postponement to proceedings – which will now not go ahead on Wednesday.

She said: “It’s another 11th hour U-turn isn’t it?

“The result of another relentless and torturous fight that we’ve had to wage against yet another agency who has failed to do their job properly.

“We may have been shackled in what we have been able to say publicly regarding this investigation; however the continued pressure we have had to put, to the very highest level in both the police force and IOPC has finally been taken notice of.

“It’s disgusting that it should come to this yet again.

“The statutory inquiry is due to begin shortly, thank goodness. However in the meantime will continue on, unwavering in our fight to get the truth and for those who failed to be held accountable”.

Calocane was reported to have punched a man in the face and pushed a woman over at a warehouse in Kegworth on May 5 2023, a month before he killed his three victims.

The victims’ families previously said they had only been invited to attend the proceedings on an audio link in “an entirely separate room”.

Deputy chief constable David Sandall, of Leicestershire Police, said: “We are aware of the concerns which have been raised by the families and have discussed these in detail in force.

“As a force, we have been directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct to hold a misconduct meeting which the force had scheduled to take place this week.

“To continue to ensure the integrity and transparency of this meeting and having considered the views of the families and the other interested parties, the chair of the meeting has made the decision to postpone this meeting.

“The meeting will take place in due course and we will update interested parties in relation to the new date of the meeting.

“The force has supported the IOPC Investigation and has followed the required police regulations.

“The force senior leadership team and Police and Crime Commissioner had planned this week to meet the families in person ahead of the misconduct meeting.

“Following the postponement of the meeting, we are in contact with the families regarding arrangements for this contact.

“Due to the misconduct meeting taking place at a later date, it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further at this stage.”