'The System Is So Broken': Nottingham Attacker's Mum Says She Warned Son Was a Risk Before Killings

In an emotional testimony to the Nottingham Inquiry, Celeste Calocane, the mother of Nottingham attacker Valdo Calocane, said she repeatedly warned professionals her son posed a danger years before the the 2023 attack that killed three people and injured others. Celeste described years of escalating fears, concerns, and missed opportunities, and a lack of support. She revealed that she had warned professionals years before the fatal attacks that her son could pose a risk to the public, but said those concerns were not adequately acted upon.

Her testimony has placed renewed scrutiny on the handling of psychic interventions and the communication between services and families. The inquiry is examining whether systemic failings contributed to the deaths of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates, and whether lessons can be learned to prevent future tragedies.

A Crisis Years in the Making

Before the fatal attacks on 13 June 2023, which led to the deaths of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates, Valdo, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, had already experienced multiple psychiatric interventions, including several detentions under mental health law.

Celeste told the inquiry that since 2020, she had been noticing serious changes in her son, whom she described as becoming increasingly agitated and distressed, leading to police involvement and admission to hospital following attempted break-ins, the BBC reported.

During the first break-in, Celeste shared that her son was immediately discharged from a psychiatric ward at Highbury Hospital with 'no diagnosis', but she felt like it was 'too early', and added that she had 'no power'.

After his discharge, Celeste recalled that she sought and called for help from Valdo's mental health system to tell them about her son's recurring episodes, but no further action was taken.

'I Was Navigating Alone Through a Broken System'

She told the inquiry she contacted mental health services '100 times' and expressed fears that her son was becoming a risk to others. Yet she said she was rarely given clear explanations about diagnosis, risk, or how to respond.

Instead, she felt left to interpret complex decisions on her own, without guidance or shared understanding from professionals.

'At this point, I don't even know what can happen to him. I'm just like living in anxiety basically', she said.

A Gradual Withdrawal From Family Contact

Calocane was sectioned four times between 2020 and 2022 and treated in facilities. The situation had also changed when, in 2021, Valdo withdrew consent to share information about his care with his family.

By that point, she said her ability to stay involved in his treatment had been significantly reduced, and eventually his contact with his family also changed.

Celeste also recalled feeling something different about her son, saying it seemed like a different version of Valdo emerged — someone quieter, emotionally distant, and increasingly hard to reach.

'He wasn't the Valdo that I knew, that I raised in my house. He wasn't that Valdo when I looked at him. He was empty. There was nothing there', she said.

The Morning of the Attacks and Lingering Questions

On the day of the attacks, Celeste said she was at work when she learned of alarming messages involving her son. During this time, she said she hesitated to leave immediately, saying she had become accustomed to living with long-term anxiety about her son.

'No Family Should Go Through This Alone'

In emotional closing remarks to the inquiry, she called for urgent reform, saying families should never be left to interpret serious mental health risks without guidance or support.

'No brother or mother should be left alone in that situation to try to navigate the service', she said.

'The system is so broken. No one should have to go to bed thinking I'm going to have a phone call tomorrow that something happened to my loved one. When it gets to crisis, it's too late', she added.