Grace O’Malley-Kumar: Nottingham attacks victim a ‘hero’, say family – as killer’s manslaughter plea accepted
The family of a student stabbed to death in Nottingham say she was a “hero” who tried to save the life of her friend, who also died in the same attack.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, was killed in the knife attacks in June, alongside Barnaby Webber. They had been returning from a night out celebrating the end of their exams.
The killer, Valdo Calocane, also stabbed school caretaker Ian Coates to death as he made his way to work.
Valdo Calocane
Calocane admitted killing Grace, Barnaby and Ian on the basis of diminished responsibility, a plea which the Crown Prosecution Service has now accepted.
“Grace’s last moments were in pain and that’s something that really hurts me to think about and she was a hero, that was her character”, her brother, James, 17, told Sky News.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates
“She tried her best to save her friend. That was how Grace lost her life in the most vulnerable manner. She would never leave a friend, never, and that was very evident from her last moments. She passed fighting.”
Calocane, 32, also known as Adam Mendes, had a history of mental illness, and even tried to hand himself into the MI5 headquarters in London, believing the British security services were controlling him.
Grace’s family had hoped Calocane would face a murder trial.
“It’s very hard to accept for a father and I’m sure for a brother, but we have faith in the legal system,” Grace’s dad, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, said.
“We have faith in the judiciary and have faith in the court. And we hope that they do Grace justice.”
Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, and brother, James O’Malley-Kumar
Knife crime ‘epidemic’
He called for tougher government action on knife crime, which he described as an “epidemic”.
“It’s at epidemic proportions and yet lawmakers seem to be doing nothing about it,” Mr Kumar said.
“I think we really need to start looking at knife crime. Knives are not an offensive weapon, they are a lethal weapon and as such, I think laws need to be changed and ultimately there must be a deterrent.
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June 2023: ‘Nottingham students were incredible people’
“If there isn’t an appropriate deterrent for carrying knives then it’s just going to carry on, our lawmakers need to look at knife legislation as soon as possible.
“We cannot just have a slap on the wrist for the first time that you carry a knife and get caught with it.”
Grace’s brother said he could “never forgive” Calocane for killing her.
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June 2023: Families unite in grief at vigil
‘I really miss her‘
“She was just the best sister I could have asked for, she was always there for me as a shoulder to cry on and to quietly listen. She had my best interests at heart all the time,” he told Sky News.
“Her smile was so contagious, I really miss her. Knowing that I’ll never see that again it’s something that really hurts me, she was such a joyous person to be around.
“Her laughter, her excitement, she had such an unmatched zest for life. She was honestly so perfect.”
Grace had an ‘unmatched zest for life’, her brother James told Sky News
“I think the loss that we’ve suffered of losing Grace has been a loss to the country.
“She was someone who served the country in her life, playing [hockey] for England, played for England under 16s, under 18s for two years.
“She had ambitions of serving as a medic in the armed forces and again serving the country and she was a person who had a priority of contributing to the community during COVID.
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‘No one can begin to take our pain away’
“She was trained as a vaccinator and she rode on her Vespa to the vaccination clinic to vaccinate hundreds of people against COVID.
“She put herself at risk to benefit others and help the community get in a better position and to take that away from us it’s completely unfathomable.
“I will never forgive him. He’s taken away my older sister and one day when my parents are gone I’m now going to be left on my own. I won’t have my sister. My future children won’t have an aunt, they won’t have cousins.”
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June 2023: Fathers pay tribute to students
Remembering Grace
Dr Kumar said it has been “a brutal journey” since her death.
The family are setting up a foundation in her memory with the help of her childhood friend, Alex Simpson.
Mr Simpson said its aim was to “emulate the love and care that Grace gave to this world, ‘be more like Grace’ is our motto – our aim is make sure no one is left out and everyone is happy”.
Funds raised will go to furthering causes that Grace supported like sport and education and they also plan to lobby the government about knife crime.
Grace’s friend Alex Simpson is helping set up a foundation in her memory
“I find myself completely lost since the 13th [June],” James told Sky News.
“I haven’t had my best friend to go to. I haven’t had an older sister to call. She hasn’t been there to pick up the phone to me and all I can do now is take comfort in the slightest thing – I sleep with her university hockey top on my pillow and I wear her clothes.
“That’s how I try and connect with Grace, I have her earring in now which I always keep in. And again, it’s a part of her and that’s how I try and get as close as I can to her.”
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
Read more:
How the parade crash unfolded
Police given more time to question Liverpool suspect
Why police released ‘unprecedented’ details
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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