Dr Sinead O’Malley-Kumar, whose daughter Grace was killed in the 2023 Nottingham attacks, says her family may “crumble” when the public inquiry into the killings ends.
The Nottingham Inquiry is due to hear closing submissions on Tuesday and Wednesday. A report of its findings will be published later, with the inquiry’s chair, retired senior judge Deborah Taylor KC, having until May 2027 to complete the final report.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane in Nottingham on 13 June 2023. Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder. He was given an indefinite hospital order in January 2024.
The public inquiry was commissioned in 2025 following lobbying by the families affected. It is examining Calocane’s care and interactions with police before the attacks, the police response and the aftermath.
The inquiry began hearing evidence in February and has heard from more than 100 witnesses, including police officers, NHS mental health staff, survivors and bereaved families. Evidence included criticism of the decision by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to discharge Calocane months before the attacks, and the failure by police to execute an arrest warrant that remained in place on the day of the killings.
“I think when the public inquiry is over, when these constant revelations start to die down ... I think that’s when we will potentially really crumble,” Dr O’Malley-Kumar said.
She said the family had been focused on establishing a legacy for Grace and making the country safer, but had not yet been able to live a normal life.
“Grieving for Grace, it seems to be just the beginning,” she said, describing the inquiry evidence as “ongoing, harrowing and heartbreaking”.
Grace’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, said the family wanted the inquiry to ensure that “no stone would be left unturned”. He said their aim was to help prevent another family experiencing a similar tragedy.
The end of the inquiry hearings will mark the end of one chapter for the families, he said, but several related investigations remain open.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is continuing investigations connected with the attacks. Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is also the subject of a corporate manslaughter investigation by Northumbria Police concerning Calocane’s care and treatment.
