Psychiatrist 'did not view' killer's earlier incidents

A forensic psychiatrist, who recommended triple killer Valdo Calocane be given a hospital order, had not viewed footage of his earlier incidents before writing his report, the Nottingham Inquiry has heard.

Valdo Calocane stabbed to death Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar on 13 June 2023, before killing Ian Coates and trying to kill three others.

Three psychiatrists, including Prof Nigel Blackwood, advised in reports for Calocane's sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court that a restricted hospital order was the most suitable outcome given his mental illness.

On Monday, the inquiry heard Blackwood had not seen bodyworn camera footage or heard key audio from incidents before the attacks.

Blackwood, whose opinion was that Calocane's responsibility for the offences was at the "lower end of the spectrum", said the killer was a "complicated man to assess".

He added he was not sent bodyworn video of when the mechanical engineering graduate visited the MI5 headquarters in London in May 2021, audio of a 999 call a housemate had made after Calocane assaulted him in July 2021, or footage of an assault on a police officer in September 2021.

Blackwood said the MI5 video only emerged after his report in November 2023 was written, telling the inquiry: "I was aware of it at the time of the sentencing... confirming his delusional belief about interference about MI5 and wanting them to desist."

He said he had received a witness statement from the student, named only as Sebastian, who had been grabbed by Calocane - who is being referred to as VC during the inquiry - but did not recall listening to the 999 call he had made.

Of the attack on PC Barnaby Pritchard, who had been called to assist when Calocane was refusing to be detained by doctors under mental health laws, counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC said: "That's really important footage isn't it?

"You assessed VC's version - he told you he had been highly fearful that the conspiracy was intent on harming him. He considered that intelligence agencies and the police were behind the plot.

"In this fearful state, he headbutted the officer who executed the section 135 warrant.

"That is what he tells you - but did you have anything to test that account by? It sounds like you didn't."

"No, I don't think I did," Blackwood said.

Langdale said while Calocane described it as a headbutting, the footage actually showed him refusing to go into an ambulance, taking off his glasses and placing them aside before telling the only male police officer he wanted him to "take him out", saying: "I don't harm women."

She said: "Only one of the officers picks up what he is indicating, that he wants to harm a male officer and not a female officer, and from nought to 100 that goes really quickly.

"He selects the male officer. Would that have been helpful for you to see how that unravelled, that he chooses who he is going to assault and he assaults them?"

Blackwood said: "Yes, I don't think it's countervailing evidence that he's psychotic at that moment."

He accepted it "could have been" helpful to have seen that footage.

Langdale said: "He is capable of assessing, in those circumstances, whatever his psychosis, who he wants to attack and why."

Footage of Calocane's assault on another flatmate, named as Christopher, whom he got in a headlock after he was asked to clean their shared bathroom, was also not seen by Blackwood before he made his assessment, the inquiry heard.

Asked if he agreed that the behaviour shown by Calocane was "bullying and intimidating", Blackwood said: "He's psychotic at this point, he is hearing screams elsewhere in the flat, he has had a conflict with a flatmate about his hygiene but yes, he is clearly asserting his physical dominance over that flatmate."

When asked by Langdale if Calocane was a "dangerous" man, Blackwood said: "I think his risk to others has increased as a result of his psychotic illness, yes."

He said he did not believe Calocane had been manipulative in his police interviews, in which he answered some questions but would not answer others.

The inquiry continues.

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