Nottingham attacks killer Valdo Calocane thought voices in his head were a punishment from the government for breaking Covid lockdown rules, a public inquiry has heard.
Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, fatally stabbed Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates on 13 June 2023.
On Friday, while examining his care at a mental health facility in County Durham in 2021, a doctor’s report was read to the inquiry stating Calocane had said his own research showed the voices were not mental illness and he therefore did not need medication.
A doctor who worked there at the time said it was likely the claim he had “researched” his symptoms was a delusion in itself.
Calocane was sectioned four times before the killings, which were followed by attempts to murder three pedestrians with a van in Nottingham.
The public inquiry in response to the attacks is being held in London and on Friday heard evidence from Dr Austin Nwawueze, a specialty doctor involved in Calocane’s care during his time at Victoria House in Darlington.
The report, from another doctor, said: “Valdo believes that he is subject to harassment by the government through interference with his mind by inserting thoughts there which are not his, and by transmitting ‘voices’ to his head that run a commentary on his actions and abilities, and are generally unpleasant.
“Valdo believes that this harassment is done as a punishment for him breaking the lockdown rules.
“Valdo indicates he has done research on the matter and does not believe that these experiences are contributable to mental illness, hence he stopped taking his antipsychotic medication.”
Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar were killed on 13 June 2023 [BBC]
Counsel to the inquiry Lance Baynham asked Nwawueze whether it was an issue for a psychotic patient to be conducting research that “might have the effect of appearing to validate those delusional beliefs”.
The doctor, whose only direct involvement with Calocane was during a ward round on September 28 2021, said: “If he did conduct the research, then he might be trying to prove the points to say ‘I’m not psychotic, I don’t need to take medication’.”
He later added: “The patient’s unwell and a lot of the things they tell you, most times, are not founded on truth.
“So usually he says the NHS is putting things in his mind. That’s not founded on truth.
“So in that sense, if he said he was doing research I would assume that that’s probably tied to the fact that he’s unwell and it’s a delusion in itself.”
The details of the apparent breach of lockdown rules referred to were not given at the inquiry.
Calocane, who admitted manslaughter and three counts of attempted murder, was detained indefinitely in a high-security hospital in January 2024 after prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas to murder.
The inquiry continues.
Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
Leave a Reply