THE ATTTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE is scrutinising the sentence handed down to the Nottingham killer, Valdo Calocane, also known as Adam Mendes. This review follows a submission suggesting the sentence may be unduly lenient.

32-year-old Calocane – who grew up in Haverfordwest – faced charges for the murder of Barnaby Webber, 19, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, and 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates. In a turn of events, he denied murder but admitted to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to paranoid schizophrenia. Additionally, he confessed to the attempted murder of three others, whom he injured using a van.

His pleas were accepted by the Crown, leading to an indefinite detention sentence in a high-security hospital, as ruled by the Nottingham Crown Court last Thursday.

The sentencing has sparked significant controversy and outrage among the victims’ families. They have criticised the prosecution’s decision to accept a manslaughter charge instead of pursuing a murder conviction, labelling it a “fait accompli.”

Victoria Prentis, the Attorney General, through a spokesperson, confirmed the receipt of a referral challenging the leniency of Calocane’s sentence. This action initiates a 28-day period for the cabinet minister to review and potentially refer the case to the Court of Appeal for re-evaluation.

In addition to this possible review, CCTV footage capturing Calocane’s horrific attack in Nottingham has been released, adding to public scrutiny.

Emma Webber, mother of victim Barnaby Webber, has openly criticised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for downgrading the charge from murder to manslaughter. However, it is understood that the Attorney General’s review will focus solely on the sentencing aspect, not on the charges pursued.

This case has opened the door for any concerned individual or institution to request a sentence review if they believe it to be excessively lenient.

Before the tragic events, Calocane, a Nottingham University mechanical engineering student, attacked O’Malley-Kumar and Webber as they were returning from a night out. He then fatally stabbed Coates before commandeering his van and driving into pedestrians in the city center. Wayne Birkett, Marcin Gawronski, and Sharon Miller were seriously injured but survived the attack.

Calocane’s mental health history reveals multiple sections under the Mental Health Act, with the last hospital discharge occurring in 2022. Despite attempts to contact him post-discharge, he remained unreachable.

Compounding these concerns, at the time of the attacks, an outstanding arrest warrant existed for Calocane. He had previously failed to appear in court for an alleged assault on a police officer during a prior sectioning process.