Man, 31, charged with murder of three people in Nottingham knife and van attack

A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of three people who were killed in Nottingham.

Valdo Calocane, of no fixed address, was also charged with three counts of attempted murder today, police have confirmed.

University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley Kumar, both 19, were stabbed to death in Ilkestone Road shortly after 4am on Tuesday.

A short while later, school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, was found dead with knife wounds in Magdala Road.

Three people were then struck by a van and hurt, with one of those suffering critical injuries.

Huge crowds have turned out at vigils in the last two days in honour of the victims of the shocking attack.

The heartbroken families of those killed united together and bravely spoke out about the tragic loss of their loved ones.

Chief constable Kate Meynell, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘These charges are a significant development and arise as a result of our thorough investigation into these horrific incidents that occurred in our city.

‘Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of all those affected by these attacks, and we will continue to provide support and reassurance.

‘We would also ask people to respect the families’ wishes for privacy at this difficult time to allow them to grieve.

‘This has been an incredibly sad time for our city and county, and we stand united with our communities as we come to terms with the effects of what has happened.’

Ch con Meynell has urged people to take care about what they post online in relation to the case.

She said: ‘We are keenly aware of the deep emotion being felt surrounding these tragic events and the high level of interest, not only in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire but also across the whole country.

‘However, posting prejudicial information online about an active case could amount to contempt of court and, in the most serious cases, have the potential to cause the collapse of a trial.’

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.

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