Former police chief turns down senior review job

The former police chief in charge during the Nottingham attacks has turned down a job reviewing serious cases in the East Midlands.

The Nottingham Inquiry is examining the events that led to Valdo Calocane killing Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley‑Kumar and Ian Coates, and trying to kill three others.

Kate Meynell, who led Nottinghamshire Police at the time of the attacks in June 2023, announced her retirement in October after being diagnosed with cancer.

In a statement for the inquiry, she wrote that she was due to start a new role as head of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit's regional review unit (EMSOU) on April 6 - but it confirmed on Tuesday she had since turned the job down.

Meynell admitted during her evidence to the inquiry that there were "no excuses" for failing to arrest Calocane - who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia - earlier.

He had been the subject of an arrest warrant issued in September 2022, but Meynell said the warrant went into an inbox that was not monitored regularly.

She apologised and said "it was unacceptable and our processes weren't as they should have been".

After announcing her retirement, Meynell had accepted the job with EMSOU, which is a specialist unit tasked with tackling the most serious, organised and violent crime across the region.

She said in a statement to the inquiry that she was "keen to continue working" in a role, which would "carry significantly less responsibility than the role of a CC [Chief Constable]."

The victim's families criticised the move, with Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace, saying it was "incompetent in my view".

EMSOU has now confirmed Meynell will not be taking up the role.

A statement added: "The role of head of regional review has existed at EMSOU for more than 10 years.

"The opportunity became available following the retirement of the previous incumbent.

"The role was advertised between 16 October and 6 November 2025, followed by a standard application and recruitment process.

"Following an interview on 6 January 2026, Kate Meynell was successful in securing the position; however, she has decided against taking up the role."

Calocane was sentenced to a hospital order in January 2024, after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and to three counts of attempted murder.

The inquiry, chaired by retired senior judge Deborah Taylor KC, is hearing from more than 100 witnesses over nine weeks in London.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into complaints by victims' families against Meynell in 2024, which is still ongoing.

Reacting to the news that Meynell would no longer be taking the job, Emma Webber, Barnaby's mother, said: "Given the appalling management and leadership she displayed during her tenure at the helm of Nottingham Police it seems that, for once, sense has prevailed.

"I'm sure the people of Nottingham will feel relief at this news."

Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace, added: "Who was involved in considering her [Meynell]?

"Who thought she was even the right candidate considering there was an IOPC complaint in place since January 2024."

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