BARNABY Webber was one of three victims who were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane in what has been dubbed a “despicable and murderous” rampage.
Here we take a look at who Barnaby Webber was and what happened in Nottingham in 2023.
Who was Barnaby Webber?
In June 2023, a knifeman stabbed three innocent people in Nottingham.
Valdo Calocane stabbed students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19 and caretaker Ian Coates, 65.
Barnaby Webber was a 19-year-old “passionate cricketer” who had made the selection to his university cricket team along with pal Grace.
On the day of the incident, Barnaby and Grace strolled along the street, turning to talk to each other with animated arms as they made their way home from a night out.
But tragically the teens never made it back to their university hall.
Following the horrific incident, in June 2023, Barnaby’s mum shared memories of her “beautiful boy” at a vigil in Nottingham as she told mourners “hold no hate”.
Barnaby’s heartbroken mum Emma told the sea of people that the “monstrous individual” responsible for the horrifying deaths “will not define us”.
Bravely speaking and fighting back tears, she said: “I know he will receive the retribution that he deserves.
“However, this evil person is just that. He is just a person.
“Please hold no hate that relates to any colour, sex or religion.
“I want you to know [that Barnaby] is more than a victim of a senseless murder.
“He loved pesto pasta, but he hated cottage pie.
“He was obsessed with aeroplanes and he still carried a dream of being a pilot in the RAF one day.”
“My beautiful, beautiful boy, you have mine, your dad and your brother’s heart forever.”
Emma Webber
What happened in Nottingham?
Police rushed to Ilkeston Road just after 4am on June 13, 2023, after witnesses revealed they heard “blood-curdling screams“.
Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC said the “brutal” attack was captured from a taxi’s dashcam.
He added: “That footage shows that the devastating violence of the attacks was mirrored only by the deliberate and merciless way the defendant acted.”
Once he had killed Grace and Barnaby, Calocane attempted to break into a home but was punched in the face by a stunned occupant.
Undeterred, Calocane made his way to Magdala Road where he came across caretaker Ian.
He then used a van to run down three pedestrians.
Following this, police announced a “major incident” was taking place around 7am.
In the hours that followed, police revealed that three people were dead, another was fighting for his life and two were injured.
Valdo Calocane was identified as the man responsible and as a result, was arrested on suspicion of murder.
On June 16, three days after the attack, Valdo Calocane was charged with the triple murder.
The court was told Calocane was suffering from “extreme” mental illness at the time.
Mr Khalil told the court Calocane had been sectioned at least four times before the attack but “actively concealed symptoms of psychosis”.
In January 2024, he was locked up in Ashworth high-security hospital after pleading guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
This means he will not be released while he continues to pose a risk to the public – which could be for the rest of his life.
During the sentencing, Mr Justice Turner said the attack was “frenzied”, adding: “You committed a series of atrocities in this city which ended the lives of three people in this city.
“Your sickening crimes both shocked the nation and wrecked the lives of your surviving victims and the families of them all.
“Your mental health state does not detract from the horror of your actions and the destructive impact it has had.”
What happened to Barnaby Webber?
On June 13, 2023, Barnaby and Grace were both walking home after an end-of-term night out.
CCTV footage showed them deep in conversation as they wandered along the footpath – clueless of Calocane.
He was said to have been lying in wait for a victim and leapt at the pair with a dagger in hand that he’d pulled from his bag.
Following the attack, Grace has been hailed a “hero” for trying to save her friend who suffered “grave injuries” after he was stabbed “repeatedly”.
As Barnaby collapsed, Grace bravely tried to fight Calocane off and pushed him onto the road.
However, he then turned his attention on her – and was “as uncompromisingly brutal in his assault of Grace as he was in his assault of Barnaby”.
The pair were left dying on the footpath with “unsurvivable” injuries just 300 yards from their halls – while Calocane “calmly” walked away.
It was after attacking Barnaby and Grace that the killer came across caretaker Ian.
He stabbed the grandad to death, stole his van and used it to ram the three pedestrians.
The triple killer also previously admitted the attempted murders of Sharon Miller, Marcin Gawronski and Wayne Birkett – who were injured by the vehicle.
Who are the Nottingham attack victims?
Barnaby Webber was the first Nottingham victim to be named locally.
His pal Grace Kumar, who studied at the same university, also tragically died alongside him on Ilkeston Road.
Grace was an avid hockey player who represented England under-16 and under-18 squads and local clubs including Southgate Hockey Club in north London.
The student was also a gifted cricketer, with Woodford Wells Cricket Club describing her as “fun, friendly and brilliant”.
A third victim, caretaker Ian Coates, was also fatally stabbed.
Ian’s sons Lee and James Coates described him as a “massive, massive football fan” and a “great father”, adding that his death had “rocked everyone’s world”.
Lee told reporters: “He was due to retire in four months, he was still grafting.
“It’s rocked everyone’s world.”
Jamie added: “Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t. None of them did, it’s a tragedy.”
