FRESH details have emerged about Nottingham attacker Valdo Calocane, linking him to a previously reported incident in Pembrokeshire involving alleged violence towards an animal.

Calocane carried out a fatal knife attack in Nottingham in the early hours of Tuesday, June 13, 2023, killing University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, along with 65-year-old Ian Coates. He also attempted to kill three others.

The then 31-year-old was later given a hospital order in January 2024 after admitting three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as well as three counts of attempted murder.

It had previously been established that Calocane was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020 and had been detained under mental health legislation on multiple occasions. Reports also indicated he experienced auditory hallucinations, which he said caused him difficulties.

He had been discharged from the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in September 2022, less than a year before the killings. That decision was later criticised in a Care Quality Commission report.

Now, an inquiry hearing on Tuesday, March 18 has been told of a possible earlier incident during Calocane’s time in Pembrokeshire.

Evidence presented to the inquiry stated that a former housemate, who lived with Calocane while he was attending Pembrokeshire College, contacted police following the Nottingham attacks. She claimed he had a history of mental health problems dating back several years.

The witness also described an incident involving alleged violence towards an animal, although full details were not disclosed during proceedings.

The inquiry further heard that Calocane’s mother had previously spoken about him being bullied both in Portugal and the UK, where the family lived in what was described as a predominantly white community.

A consultant forensic psychiatrist who assessed Calocane while he was in custody noted unusual behaviour during evaluations, including inappropriate smiling and a refusal to engage with questions about hearing voices.

The inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the Nottingham attacks is ongoing.

ARMED police were deployed to a residential street in Fishguard this evening following reports of a teenage boy with a knife.

The incident happened in the Dan y Bryn area on Sunday evening (Mar 23).

Armed police negotiated with the suspect, persuading him to hand over the weapon. He was subsequently detained, handcuffed, and taken away in an ambulance.

The situation was brought under control without any reported injuries.

The police told The Herald: “Officers attended the Dan Y Bryn area, Fishguard on the evening of Sunday, March 22 following concerns of an individual reported to be in possession of a knife.
Officers have attended the location and secured the knife.

“The incident cleared with the individual taken to receive further care in hospital.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

Registered sex offender Wayne Evans, who moved to Carmarthenshire for a fresh start, was caught after the National Crime Agency flagged activity linked to a Kik account

A CONVICTED child rapist who moved to rural west Wales in an apparent attempt to start over was found with indecent images of children on his phone after his online activity was flagged by the National Crime Agency.

Wayne Evans, 59, of Pentrecourt Road, Llandysul, appeared before Swansea Crown Court after officers discovered the images during an investigation triggered by the NCA.

The court heard that in January last year, the NCA alerted Dyfed-Powys Police to a Kik messaging account involved in downloading indecent images of children. The email address linked to the account was already known to police and belonged to Evans, a registered sex offender.

Officers went to his home on January 28 and arrested him. Evans told police he had not downloaded the images himself and claimed they had appeared in a Kik group he was part of, adding that the group had since been shut down.

Police seized six devices from the property and Evans handed over the pin numbers for his phones and tablets. He later answered “no comment” to questions in interview and was released under investigation while the devices were examined.

A forensic analysis of his Samsung Galaxy phone uncovered 13 Category A images, eight Category B images and two Category C images. The material involved children aged between four and 12.

Category A images are considered the most serious and involve the gravest forms of sexual abuse.

The court was told Evans has six previous convictions covering 23 offences. In 1990, he was convicted of gross indecency with a child and indecent assault of a child. In 2002, he was jailed for 15 years for raping a child under 16, attempted rape, gross indecency and five further counts of indecent assault. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life and released from prison in 2011.

Evans had admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, covering Categories A, B and C.

Emily Bennett, representing Evans, said her client knew the court would view the offences in the “dimmest of lights”. She said he had moved to a rural part of Wales where he kept himself to himself and had taken steps to reduce his contact with females.

She also told the court Evans accepted that he still had an inappropriate sexual attraction to children, and said he was in a long-term stable relationship with a partner who knew about his past offending.

Sentencing Evans, Recorder Mark Powell KC said he accepted that the defendant had taken some steps to change his life, but said it was clear he continued to have a sexual interest in children.

The judge said his priority was to pass a sentence which reduced the risk Evans posed. He said an immediate prison term available under the guidelines would be relatively short, could be destabilising, and might even increase the danger to the public.

With credit for his guilty pleas, Evans was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation activity requirement, a Building Choices programme, and 100 hours of unpaid work.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed for 10 years, and Evans will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

Photo caption:

Wayne Evans was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after indecent images of children were found on his phone