A MAN today admitted killing a caretaker and two students in a knife rampage.
Valdo Amissao Mendes Calocane stabbed Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both aged 19, and 65-year-old Ian Coates to death.
The 31-year-old appeared at Nottingham Crown Court today where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
He also admitted the attempted murders of Sharon Miller, Marcin Gawronski and Wayne Birkett, who were injured when they were hit by a van.
Calocane pleaded not guilty three counts of murder, with a further hearing scheduled to see if the prosecution will proceed with a trial.
He was remanded into custody to next appear at the same court on January 16 next year.
The horror unfolded on June 13 when a series of attacks took place across the city of Nottingham.
Grace and Barney’s bodies were found in the street just 300 yards from their halls of residence on Ilkeston Road.
Fearless Grace put herself between the attacker and her friend in a desperate attempt to save him.
After their bodies were discovered, police found caretaker Ian dead on the ground around two miles away on Magdala Road.
The suspect then allegedly used Ian’s van to ram three pedestrians, leaving one fighting for life.
At a vigil, Grace’s family remembered their “beautiful baby girl” and said that she was studying to become a doctor like her dad.
They also praised the “truly wonderful young lady” who would be “so dearly missed”.
Meanwhile, Barney’s mum said: “My beautiful, beautiful boy, you have mine, your dad and your brother’s heart forever.”
They later described their “complete devastation” at losing the history student and keen cricketer.
The family said he was a “beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to”.
Ian’s sons said his death had “rocked everyone’s world” and that he was a “great father”.
