Families of the victims from the 2023 Nottingham attacks have expressed their frustration, stating that “all government institutions have failed without exception.” They are accusing these institutions of engaging in a “cover-up” following the murders of their loved ones and have called for immediate discussions with the prime minister and senior officials to address what they see as a failing system.
A 14-week public inquiry into the murders of Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, Barnaby Webber, 19, and Ian Coates, 65, by 31-year-old Valdo Karokane, who immigrated from Guinea-Bissau, has been concluded. Although the inquiry’s report is anticipated in early next year, families of the victims believe that the government’s denial of accountability must cease now, rather than prolonging the wait for the report.
Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, was among those critical of the government during a meeting on Monday. She stated that multiple agencies failed to act before Karokane committed his crimes, mentioning the police, the NHS, and various health professionals. She expressed her disappointment by saying:
[Valdo Karokane, the] monster was left in the shadows to hunt for prey…all agencies failed. One by one. Without exception.
Mental health services did not manage or treat him properly. The police continually failed to take action. People ignored the warning signs. There was a lack of curiosity or care. Concerns about stigma took precedence over safety. And when things went wrong, too many chose to protect their own instead of admitting mistakes.
I see concealment on top of a lack of honesty. This was a serious failure of responsibility.
Webber cautioned that this isn’t an isolated incident, suggesting there are “many Valdo Karokanes” ready to harm others if the government fails to address the issue. She criticized the allowance for Karokane to plead guilty to manslaughter, stating:
This wasn’t bad luck. It was a catastrophic collapse of responsibility. An undeniable miscarriage of justice that must be addressed…the evidence of his premeditation was overlooked by a weak prosecution and inadequate expert witnesses…he may have had severe mental health issues, but he certainly knew what he was doing.
Dr. Sinead O’Malley, Grace’s mother, also shared her concerns about deficiencies in the medical system and the lack of accountability that followed the murders. She noted that the hospital was reluctant to disclose the name of Grace’s psychiatrist and said:
The fact that the hospital didn’t even want to share the psychiatrist’s name was denying us our right to know, and I find that outrageous. This is part of the cover-up. There’s a culture of professional protectionism in medicine. We only received the name due to public inquiry.
Karokane murdered Grace and Barnaby, then killed Ian Coates and attempted to run over other people with a stolen van. Ian’s son, James Coates, also voiced his disappointment with government actions, expressing a sense of disillusionment after witnessing how the system operates. He remarked:
Sadly, we were under the illusion that justice would prevail…For years, we’ve watched organizations fail to hold themselves accountable, and this inquiry must be a true reckoning.
The families, seeking immediate change, do not want to wait for the inquiry report, expected in 2027, and have requested a meeting with the government. Mr. Webber proposed that this meeting should include key ministers responsible for the victims’ cases, emphasizing:
The findings won’t come out until next spring, but that shouldn’t stop you from acting now. This isn’t about revenge; it’s about doing what’s right and addressing this grave injustice. Excuses stop here; accountability starts today.
In November 2023, Karokane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter related to the attacks. In the years leading up to the incident, he had interactions with various state agencies, but rather than receiving adequate support or being removed as a threat, he continued to fall through the cracks of the system, evading responsibility.
There were multiple chances for his arrest prior to the murders. In 2020, a frightened woman jumped out of a window, fearing for her life from Karokane, suffering a spinal injury in the process. This incident occurred in the same Nottingham area where the murders later took place and was close to where Karokane was later arrested.
After being released from the hospital for her injury, police informed the victim that charges would not be pursued against Karokane due to his mental health conditions.
Another incident in 2021 involved Karokane assaulting a police officer. Despite being summoned to court a year later, he failed to appear, leading to an active arrest warrant that was ultimately not enforced. The authorities have admitted that not arresting him was a “serious, systematic and operational failure.”
