'It's caused trauma': Mother of Nottingham attack victim hits out at documentary on son's killer
13 August 2024, 11:10 | Updated: 13 August 2024, 11:16
Family of Nottingham victims criticise BBC Panorama for documentary on killer
Emma Webber, mother of Nottingham attack victim Barnaby Webber, has expressed disappointment with a documentary about her son's killer Valdo Calocane and welcomed the damning Care Quality Commission report into his mental health care.
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Emma Webber told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that the BBC documentary caused trauma and questioned why the victims' families were not told about the programme until filming was finished.
She said that the BBC told her that they had a duty of care to focus the film on Mr Calocane's family and that the victims "had their time" when the story was covered in January.
Calocane stabbed students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, as they returned from a night out in the early hours of June 13 last year, before killing Ian Coates, 65.
"We could have given them information they would have found useful on the topics they were covering because it's us, not the Calocane family that are sitting with the Mental Health Trust, with NHS England and with the CQC for terms of reference for all that's going on."
She expressed no sympathy for the Calocane family and questioned whether they had done everything possible to prevent the tragedy.
The CQC report, described by Webber as "comprehensive" and "damning," revealed significant failings in Calocane's care.
Webber highlighted that this was the first time the CQC had conducted such an in-depth review of an individual's care.
Addressing the issue of accountability, Webber agreed with Dr. Sanjay Kumar, father of victim Grace O'Malley-Kumar, that senior medical staff and decision-makers should be named. She emphasized the need for professionals to be held responsible for their actions, particularly in cases of "gross negligence."
Webber also questioned the processes used by healthcare professionals when assessing whether mentally unwell individuals are fit to be discharged into the community.
She urged them to consider the potential consequences as if it were their own family at risk.
"Imagine when you're discharging a mentally unwell person and you're assessing if they're fit to be out in the community, that the next person they meet would be your son or your daughter," she told LBC.
Webber also challenged Calocane's manslaughter conviction, asserting that his refusal to take medication and the premeditated nature of his actions should have resulted in a murder charge.
She disputed claims that Calocane was "treatment resistant," arguing instead that he was "resistant to taking his treatment." The interview revealed that both Sir Keir Starmer and the current government have committed to a public inquiry.
Ms Webber also stressed the importance of a statutory judge-led inquiry to ensure a comprehensive investigation that bridges gaps between various agencies involved.
As the families continue to push for answers and changes in the system, she remains committed to her cause.
"I won't stop until I can say I did all I could," she said.
