A man accused of murdering three people in a deadly knife rampage in Nottingham has appeared in court.
Valdo Calocane, 31, is accused of killing two 19-year-old students and a 65-year-old school caretaker during the early hours of June 13 before attempting to murder another three victims.
History student Barnaby Webber and aspiring doctor Grace O’Malley-Kumar were discovered shortly after 4am on Ilkeston Road with fatal knife wounds.
Calocane allegedly then travelled to Magdala Road where Ian Coates was stabbed to death and his van stolen. The vehicle was then used to hit three pedestrians in the town centre, leaving one in critical condition.
The attacks left the city of Nottingham in shock, with two vigils attended by thousands at the university campus and in Market Square.
When asked to identify himself at the start of the hearing, the defendant replied “my name is Adam Mendes”, which he also said when he faced magistrates in the city on Saturday.
Wearing a grey prison jumper and tracksuit, and flanked by five security officers in the dock, Calocane, of no fixed abode, remained calm in the dock and was not asked to enter pleas during the hearing in the packed courtroom.
Peter Ratliff, prosecuting, said: “This is a complex and ongoing investigation with multiple lines of inquiry being pursued.”
Judge Nirmal Shant KC adjourned proceedings until a plea and trial preparation hearing on September 25 at the same court and thanked the families of the victims for their “upmost restraint”.
Speaking to Mr Ratliff, with members of Mr Coates’ family in court, the judge said: “There are a number of people here today who are profoundly and devastatingly affected by this case.
“Can I say through you that they have shown the upmost restraint and dignity and I thank them for it.”
Judge Shant set a provisional trial date of 12 January, 2024 and remanded Calocane into custody.
The family of Mr Webber, a history student from Taunton in Somerset, previously described their “complete devastation” after his death, saying he was a “beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to”.
Ms O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a “truly wonderful and beautiful young lady” and that she would be “so dearly missed”.
Two of Mr Coates’ sons said his death had “rocked everyone’s world”, adding: “Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating after Nottinghamshire Police referred itself to the watchdog the day after the attacks.
The IOPC said on Friday that an officer driving a single-crewed vehicle was responding to a related call when it came across the van allegedly being driven by Calocane.
Dashcam footage suggests the officer had sight of it for less than a minute before it hit pedestrians.
The officer immediately stopped to give first aid to those who had been hit, with the investigation to consider whether the actions of the van driver were influenced by the presence of the police car.
