Nottingham ‘knife rampage killer,’ Valdo Calocane has denied murdering three people during stabbing spree 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 from a night out in Nottingham in the early hours of June 13.
He also admitted the manslaughter of school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, and stealing his van, and the attempted murder of three pedestrians, who he mowed down with the van at Nottingham Crown Court this morning.
But Calocane, who now goes by the name Adam Mendes denied the murder of Miss O’Malley-Kumar, Mr Webber and Mr Coates on the grounds of 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 of any of the prosecution’s case. Though he committed these dreadful acts, he did this while he was 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 Ms O’Malley-Kumar and history student Mr Webber were found fatally knifed in Ilkeston Road at around 4am on June 13.
Mr Coates, 65, was then found stabbed to death in Magdala Road after his van was allegedly stolen.
Calocane is alleged to have used the van to drive at a pedestrian in Milton Street and a further two people in South Sherwood Street.
Police were called at 5.30am to the incident, which reportedly took place outside the Theatre 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 had sight of the vehicle for ‘less than a minute’ before it collided with the pedestrians in South Sherwood Street.
The family of Mr Webber described their ‘complete devastation’ at the ‘senseless murder of our son’, saying he was a ‘beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to’.
Ms O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a ‘truly wonderful and beautiful young lady’ and that she would be ‘so dearly missed’.
Two of Mr Coates’ sons said his death had ‘rocked everyone’s world’, adding: ‘Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t.’
Police revealed the suspect is a former University of Nottingham student, but said ‘this is not believed to be connected with the attack’.
The case against Calocane has been adjourned until January 16, 2024.
