Police have launched an “unprecedented” corporate manslaughter probe into the hospital which discharged Nottingham triple-killer Valdo Calocane before his stabbing spree.
Despite his refusal to take prescribed medication and history of violent behaviour, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust released the dual Guinea-Bissau/Portuguese national onto Britain’s streets.
Following his release, Calocane went on to fatally stab Ian Coates, 65, and 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar.
The trust has now been placed under criminal investigation, with executives told to keep hold of all records related to the attacks for detectives to review.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has insisted it will fully cooperate with the probe.
The move by detectives will shift the case against the trust from failings in Calocane’s treatment to whether they are directly to blame for the triple-killing.
Although trusts have previously been investigated over failings such as medical negligence, they have never been prosecuted over the actions of a violent patient released back onto the streets.
Head of complex injury at Bolt Burdon Kemp, Josh Hughes, told The Times that the investigation could result in “profound” ramifications for the delivery of mental health services in Britain.
Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility
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NOTTINGHAMPSHIRE POLICECalocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder, something which has been widely criticised by the victims’ families.
During the violent rampage, he also stole Mr Coates’s van and used it to ram three pedestrians, leaving Sharon Miller, Marcin Gawronski and Wayne Birkett severely injured.
A report by the Care Quality Commission said Calocane’s records make it “clear” that he was “acutely unwell” throughout the two years he was under the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
He was previously sectioned under the Mental Health Act four times after refusing to take his medication and becoming violent – and then released by the trust in September 2022 due to his reluctance to be treated.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has insisted it will fully cooperate with the probe
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Prosecutors, police and medical professionals will be scrutinised during the two-year public inquiry, chaired by retired senior judge Deborah Taylor, which will hear from more than 100 witnesses.
The inquiry heard in February how mental health professionals previously debated whether to section Calocane in 2020 when he tried to kick down a neighbour’s door.
However, it was decided to release him into the community after considering “research that shows over-representation of young black males in detention.”
The corporate manslaughter probe will be spearheaded by officers from Northumbria Police as the Nottinghamshire force is implicated in failings related to the triple-killing.
In the four years prior to the June 2023 attacks, 15 current or former patients of the trust had carried out serious violent attacks.
Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar were fatally stabbed in June 2023
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PANorthumbria Police are expected to examine these attacks and whether the leadership took necessary steps to avoid such incidents from taking place in future.
Corporate manslaughter is punishable by unlimited fines – but if convicted, no executives of the trust will face prison time.
Mr Hughes said the crimes carries “an exceptionally high threshold focused on systemic governance, rather than individual clinician fault”.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “Northumbria Police, acting on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police, have begun an investigation into matters relating to the care and treatment of Valdo Calocane.
“We know how important the independent inquiry and police investigation are for the affected families, the survivors and our local communities.
“We will, of course, be co-operating fully with Northumbria Police, as we have with the Statutory Inquiry into these matters which is being chaired by Her Honour Deborah Taylor and which will hear final submissions from all the parties involved later this year.”