Our updates for the day have ended.

You can continue to read more about the Nottingham Inquiry and today's proceedings here.

As the hearing drew to a close today, we heard emotional tributes to the survivors and to the deceased victims of Valdo Calocane.

The families and the legal teams were in tears as the videos were played to the inquiry.

• Ian Coates was four months from retirement when he was stabbed to death. He was described by his family as an avid fisherman and a well-liked caretaker. His partner Elaine said: "He was funny and he makes you feel safe." Lee Coates, one of Ian's three sons, said: "My dad was strong, kind, firm but fair. He was honest, hard-working, but boy was he mischievous."

• Grace O'Malley-Kumar's family shared memories of her growing up, saying she was remembered for her "kindness and for her absolute and sheer loyalty". Her brother James, who is now 19 - the age Grace was when she was killed - said he was "lost" without her
• Survivor Wayne Birkett lost his memory after suffering a complex brain injury in the attacks. He said: "People walk up to me, people I've known for 20 or 30 years and I can't remember who they are."
• Sharon Miller, who also survived the attacks, said she no longer liked leaving the house
• The family of Barnaby Webber said they wanted him to be remembered for being "a really genuine authentic, good person". Barney's brother Charlie said: "I think he'd want to be remembered simply for just being kind, gentle, caring. As he was."

Earlier today, we heard from the legal representatives from 13 core participants, who will be listening to evidence over the coming months.

Opening the hearing, Tim Moloney KC - the barrister representing the families - said the inquiry "is not just about Barney, Grace and Ian".

"It is also about each of the other countless other unnecessarily bereaved, whose loved ones were lost to the unmanaged, known to be ill and known to be a risk to public safety," he said.

Before hearing from the police forces in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, Moloney said any attempt by either force to say arresting Calocane would not have made a difference would be "cowardly, highly offensive and insulting".

"That warrant was outstanding for 10 months, and Nottinghamshire Police did not execute it for 10 months. They just left him out on the streets," he said.

John Beggs KC, speaking on behalf Nottinghamshire Police, said the force should have executed the warrant in a "timely manner".

"The temporary deputy chief constable [Rob] Griffin described that failure in his statement as, I quote, 'a serious, systemic, operational failure on the part of Nottinghamshire Police'," he said.

However, Beggs asked the chairwoman of the inquiry to consider whether it is realistic that Calocane would have been prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned at that time while he was suffering with mental illness.

"We respectfully suggest not, but we understand why the bereaved and survivors are concerned by the failure to execute the warrant, and I repeat, we do not seek to defend that failure," he said.

Hugh Davies KC, representing two Leicestershire Police officers who attended the incident at a warehouse in Kegworth weeks before the fatal stabbings, said that an officer did not view records of Calocane's previous encounters with police and if she had done so, "she would have been able to discover that VC (Valdo Calocane) had an outstanding warrant for his arrest".

The inquiry also heard the officer's bodyworn camera footage was mistakenly deleted after the incident.

Former senior circuit judge Deborah Taylor also heard from representatives from the following parties:

• The surviving victims
• The family of Valdo Calocane
• Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• NHS England
• University of Nottingham
• Crown Prosecution Service
• Department of Health and Social Care
• Ministry of Justice
• Nottingham City Council
• The chief constable of Leicestershire Police

Today's hearing has ended.

Chairwoman Deborah Taylor KC said she wanted the videos to be a reminder of "why we are all here".

Evidence is expected to continue on Wednesday.

In a tribute video played to the inquiry, the family of Barnaby Webber also paid tribute to their son and brother.

His mother Emma Webber said: "The impact of losing my boy is limitless and it's infinite in its grief, in its sadness, in its pointless, in its cruelty.

"There have been many, many occasions where I haven't wanted to be here anymore.

"I want people to remember Barney for being a really genuine authentic, good person who was taken. But he made an impact on the time he was here and on the people he was with."

Meanwhile, his dad David Webber added: "It's very difficult to describe, because life goes on, but I still need to financially keep going because the bills still keep coming.

"The world just carries on, but for you it hasn't.

"You start to see how people lose their livelihoods, why people lose their relationships."

Barney's brother Charlie said: "I think he'd want to be remembered simply for just being kind, gentle, caring. As he was."

Image source, Supplied

Survivor Sharon Miller said she and her partner Martin (pictured below) had enjoyed camping, gardening, DIY and long walks before she was struck by a van in Nottingham city centre on the day of the attacks.

Sharon said: "Since the attack, I don't like leaving the house.

"I get blood clots in my legs so I have to wear stockings for the rest of my life."

She added a scar on her leg was a "constant reminder" of what happened.

"My life's changed dramatically. My social life's gone out the window," she said.

Martin said since the attacks, he spent most days "making her feel safe, making her feel loved".

"That's all I can do," he said.

The couple have also delayed getting married until after any proceedings in relation to the inquiry are over.

Despite the lasting impact on her social life, Sharon said the attacks had brought her family closer together.

Image source, Supplied

Emily Williamson
BBC News, reporting from Mary Ward House in London

Pen portraits of the victims and survivors are being shown, giving the hearing an insight into the stories behind the names who are forever tied to the man who so brutally ended their lives.

The bereaved families and even some legal teams are in tears.

Grace O'Malley-Kumar's mum Sinead and younger brother James embrace, both crying, as they watch.

Ian Coates's eldest son Darren wiped a tear from his eye as he listened.

Audible tears and sniffs can be heard from many people in the hearing room.

Grace O'Malley-Kumar - who was stabbed to death in Ilkeston Road, Nottingham, in the early hours of 13 June 2023 trying to protect her friend and fellow student Barnaby Webber - has been described as "beautiful and brave" by her family in a tribute video played to the court.

Her father Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: "She had an incredible singing voice that was mastered in the shower. She'd have super long showers where she'd recite an whole album. All you could hear was her singing and I miss that so much, because the house is very quiet without her.

"Grace had a very full life. She was the best of me and she was the best of my wife.

"Grace would want to be remembered for her kindness and for her absolute and sheer loyalty - she was beautiful and brave and she would do anything for her friends and I think she proved that right until the very end."

Her mother Sinead said: "It's her future that we anticipated with her. Her graduating from medical school, her maybe meeting someone and marrying and having grandchildren has been stolen from us.

"And the loss of her future is the loss of our future, and that's very difficult to come to terms with and I don't think we ever will come to terms with it.

"People say time heals, it doesn't heal when you've lost a child. In fact I would say it gets worse because you feel the separation between yourself and your child growing as the years go by."

Her brother James O'Malley Kumar said: "Sixteen years of my life was having an older sister.

"She'd always blaze a trail for me and I'd just follow.

"But now I'm 19 and Grace is almost stuck in time at 19 and I'm lost to be honest. Really lost with thoughts about my future."

Image source, Supplied

In a tribute video played to the inquiry, Ian Coates was described as an avid fisherman and a well-liked school caretaker.

He was four months from retirement when he was stabbed to death by Calocane.

His partner Elaine said: "He was funny and he makes you feel safe.

"Ian loved fishing. He joined a fishing club and he always went to Ireland twice a year. He loved it.

"Ian loved Christmas time, getting everything ready. One particular thing that sticks in my mind is him dressed up in a tutu squirting a water gun out into the audience and the kids went mad.

"I don't tend to watch the programmes that we used to watch anymore."

One of Ian's three sons - Lee - said his dad's name was now on a brick at the home ground of his beloved Nottingham Forest.

"My dad was strong kind, firm but fair," he said. "He was honest, hard-working, but boy was he mischievous.

"His grandkids, he loved more than fishing - maybe it was 50-50.

"He's got a brick at the City Ground. I think he'd like to know he could watch every game."

Image source, Supplied

Wayne Birkett was one of three people struck by the van Valdo Calocane was driving - which the triple killer stole from Ian Coates after fatally stabbing him.

The 62-year-old suffered a complex brain injury in the attacks and lost all memory of his life before.

Birkett said: "People walk up to me, people I've known for 20 or 30 years and I can't remember who they are."

He said he and his wife Tracy used to enjoy day trips together and family holidays.

"We've never really got round to just relaxing and being ourselves again and enjoying our lives as much as we used to," Tracy added.

Sharon Miller and Marcin Gawronski were also seriously injured.

Earlier we heard NHS England apologise to the survivors and bereaved families, saying "the system as a whole failed you".

A number of organisations in the NHS have been reviewed and criticised in relation to the case, including a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, which previously found that Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) made errors, such as discharging Calocane to his GP in 2022.

On behalf of NHFT, which cared for Calocane between 2020 and 2022, Jason Beer KC said the trust was "profoundly sorry" that opportunities before the killings could have been identified.

Barrister Anna Bicarregui told the inquiry that NHS England makes an "unreserved apology" to the survivors and bereaved families.

Bicarregui added: "NHS England is determined to transform how the NHS treats people with a severe mental illness, who often require long-term support."

In the final opening statement to be read to the inquiry, Emma Zeb KC - speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) - said a number of its staff were involved in unauthorised access of information following Calocane's arrest.

A "small number" of workers for both HM Courts and Tribunals Service and HM Prison and Probation Service - which are both run by the MoJ - accessed digital files.

Zeb KC said the MoJ offered its "sincere apologies" to those affected by the data breach and "recognises the seriousness of the issues".

Image source, PA Media

In February 2025, an independent mental health homicide report into the treatment of Calocane - which was commissioned by NHS England - was published.

The report highlighted a number of failings in Calocane's care but "attracted criticism" after NHS England initially said it would not publish the review in full.

It later published the full report after backlash from the families affected.

Anna Bicarregui, representing NHS England, said after further consideration, it had changed the policy to say "all future homicide investigations should be published in full".

"The information which can be published will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis," she added.

Jade Allen, speaking on behalf of the government's Department of Health and Social Care, said there was currently a "substantial treatment gap" for people with poor mental health.

This, the inquiry heard, is due to an increase in demand, which has overtaken an increase in funding for mental health services.

"Too many people are not getting the support they require," she said.

The department also accepted that there were failures in the provision of healthcare provided to Calocane.

Allen said the triple killer was "not provided with active and assertive mental health treatment", and the views of his family were "not taken seriously".

The risk assessments failed to identify the clear and present risks from Calocane, she added.

NHS England has also apologised to the families affected by the Nottingham attacks.

A solicitor speaking to the inquiry on behalf of NHS England said: "The NHS and the system as a whole failed you with devastating consequences.

"We have also heard what has been said by those affected and acknowledge that an apology alone is insufficient."

Last February the BBC published details of a major review commissioned by NHS England, which identified serious failings in how the NHS cared for Calocane.

We are now hearing of another apology in the Nottingham Inquiry, this time from a barrister acting for Nottingham City Council.

Barrister Andrew McNamara said the authority apologised to the families of those affected by the Nottingham attacks for data breaches.

McNamara said the council was "committed to learning and improving" following the breach.

He said the staff who accessed information did so out of "misplaced professional curiosity and concerns given the nature of the events".

McNamara added there were seven occasions in which council officers came into contact with Calocane to carry out an assessment under the Mental Health Act.

He added council workers always responded "promptly" to these incidents.

Jason Beer KC, who is representing Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which cared for Valdo Calocane before the killings, has outlined a number of missed opportunities to assess Calocane.

The solicitor added a number of changes had been made within the trust since the attack, but added current national guidance did not "adequately address the complexity of homicide cases in mental health settings".

The inquiry heard the trust had a mental health caseload of 8,619 in July 2022, and today has more than 10,000.

Beer KC said: "The trust knows that no amount of organisational improvement can undo what happened.

"However, it hopes that the inquiry's thorough examination of events, its findings and its recommendations can ensure that positive change emerges.

"The trust does not consider such events entirely preventable, but believed the changes it has implemented go to the very heart of the risks that contributed to VC's case."

We are hearing from the representatives of more interested parties this afternoon - having heard from those representing the bereaved families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates (pictured below).

Their barrister, Tim Moloney KC, told the inquiry its purpose is not only to look into the deaths of Barnaby - known as Barney - Grace and Ian, it is also about "countless other unnecessarily bereaved, whose loved ones were lost to the unmanaged, known to be ill and known to be a risk to public safety".

In his opening statement, Moloney KC said that any attempt by police to say arresting Calocane would not have made a difference would be "cowardly, highly offensive and insulting".

He said: "That warrant was outstanding for 10 months, and Nottinghamshire Police did not execute it for 10 months.

"They just left him out on the streets."

He also said it "beggars belief" that most of the bereaved family members discovered about the death of their loved ones through social media, instead of through the police.

Image source, Supplied

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - which cared for Valdo Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia before he killed three people in Nottingham, has apologised over what it called missed opportunities.

A solicitor representing the trust said it remained "deeply moved by the grief and anguish" of the people most seriously affected.

He added: "[The trust] recognises that in the years preceding these tragic events there were opportunities that could have been identified, seized and acted upon differently, and for this, the trust is profoundly sorry."

The trust added in its statement that "looking back now", its engagement with the families "could and should have been better".

The trust has disclosed about 11,000 documents to the Nottingham Inquiry, and approximately 160 staff members have provided written statements.

We are back under way at Mary Ward House in London.