The mother of one of the victims slain by triple murderer Valdo Calocane has criticised a BBC Panorama documentary about the Nottingham killings as “shameful, cold, ill-judged”. Emma Webber expressed her disapproval of the programme which delved into the mental health history of her son Barnaby’s killer and questioned “what lessons can be learned” from the tragic events. University students Barnaby and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, along with 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates, were fatally stabbed by Calocane in Nottingham on June 13, 2023.
The contentious Panorama episode, aired last month and titled ‘The Nottingham Attacks: A Search For Answers’, included interviews with Calocane’s family to explore “shed light on the missed opportunities in his care”, as per the show’s description. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Barnaby’s mother Emma criticised the broadcast, saying: “We believe what the BBC produced is a very imbalanced documentary – it’s shameful, cold, ill-judged, arrogant and thoughtless.”
Victims’ families have lodged a formal complaint with the BBC, claiming the episode contained “inaccuracies, was too sympathetic towards the knifeman’s family and they were refused a preview screening”, the newspaper reports. Ms Webber further stated: “We were not considered or consulted at any point to advise that this was being made.” Neil Hudgell, the families’ solicitor, told the Sunday Mirror: “They were told as a ‘fait accompli’ when the piece was airing, they had no opportunity to be involved.”
Relatives of Calocane’s victims reacted angrily to the sentencing after prosecutors decided not to pursue murder charges. A BBC spokesperson said: “We have the deepest sympathy for the families, and the Panorama team has been extremely mindful of the sensitivities in handling this programme.” “This investigation, which is very much in the public interest, examines the decline in the mental health of Valdo Calocane and asks whether there were systemic failings in his interactions with mental health services in the three years leading up to the terrible events in Nottingham last year.” “The documentary has been produced in accordance with the BBC’s editorial guidelines.”
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order earlier this year. He admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The families are seeking proper accountability based on fair, accurate reporting and setting the record straight.