Survivor of Nottingham Attack Expressed Regret, Wishing Killer Valdo Calocane Had Targeted Her Instead Instead of Current Victims
In the wake of the bloody assaults that struck the heart of Nottingham, taking the lives of three innocent souls - including two promising university students and an elderly caretaker - one survivor has come forward, speaking her truth for the very first time. Sharon Miller, a woman left scarred, both physically and emotionally, shares her heartrending wish that she, instead of the students, was the one Valdo Calocane, the deranged killer, had targeted.
Ms. Miller was among three pedestrians mercilessly mown down by a van driven by the paranoid schizophrenic psychopath, after he had coldly ended the lives of University of Nottingham students, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, and school caretaker, Ian Coates. In a poignant, exclusive interview with BBC East Midlands Today, Ms. Miller reveals the devastating impact the attacks have had on her life, leaving her unable to return to her job as a commercial cleaner, after 27 years of unblemished service.
With fractured bones and a badly damaged psyche, Ms. Miller continues to undergo a steady stream of rehabilitation, now using a cane to navigate her daily life. Calocane, now 33, spent the hours leading up to the assaults stalking the city's streets, committing acts of unspeakable violence before his capture.
In the interview, Ms. Miller, a resident of east Nottingham, expresses her discomfort every time she encounters Calocane's face in the media. 'He belongs behind bars. He should have been forced to take his medications', she asserted. An independent report, revealed in February, exposed a shocking nine-month period during which Calocane had no contact with mental health services or his General Practitioner, following their discharge when he failed to comply with treatment.
Ms. Miller's life has been forever altered by the attacks, as she grapples with the loss of the carefree Sharon she once was. She now depends heavily on her partner of 33 years, Martin, for her daily needs. The couple's plans to marry have had to be indefinitely postponed.
Accompanying Ms. Miller in her heart-wrenching testimony is fellow survivor, Wayne Birkett. Both survivors desperately wish that it had been them, rather than Barnaby and Grace, who had their lives cruelly cut short. Mr. Birkett, a forklift truck driver at the time of the attacks, had just stepped off a bus when Calocane struck him from behind, hurling him into the air. The older survivor suffered severe injuries, including a crippling head trauma that left him in a coma for an extended period.
Unable to remember the attack or significant portions of his life before it, Mr. Birkett now struggles with ongoing memory issues, headaches, and dizziness. 'People I've known for 40-50 years have to explain who they are', he lamented, 'it's embarrassing and frustrating. I've had to relearn how to read, write, and even use a TV.' He credits his partner, Tracey, with being 'the one who saved my life', and the driving force behind his everyday struggles.
The most devastating aspect of the attacks, Mr. Birkett believes, was that he did not have to bear the weight of the nightmares that haunt many victims. Yet, he also confesses to having dreamt of nothing since the attack, a chilling testament to the trauma he has endured.
The public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks, chaired by Her Honor Deborah Taylor, a retired crown court judge, is set to provide the much-needed answers that Mr. Birkett and Ms. Miller seek. The inquiry aims to shed light on why Calocane was allowed to roam the streets freely despite numerous encounters with law enforcement, university officials, and healthcare professionals in the years leading up to his rampage.
Calocane's history of violent behavior and widespread paranoid schizophrenia raises grave concerns about the adequacy of mental healthcare services and the failure of law enforcement to intervene effectively. A survivor's Soul-Searching Journey highlights the pressing need for changes in the mental healthcare system and law enforcement, ensuring better accountability and protection for society's most vulnerable members.
[1] Nottingham attack: Valdo Calocane 'had no contact with mental health services for nine months'
[2] Nottingham attack: 'Killer Valdo Calocane has no remorse,' say victims' families
[1] The lack of mental health services contact for nine months before the Nottingham attacks has become a topic of general-news debate.[2] Sharon Miller, a Nottingham survivor, expressed her disappointment with the mental health system, wishing Valdo Calocane had been forced to take his orthopaedic medications.[3] Wayne Birkett, another Nottingham attack survivor, struggles with memory issues and dizziness after his encounter with Calocane, urging changes in the mental healthcare system and law enforcement.[4] Politicians have been discussing the Nottingham attack case, focusing on the failings in Calocane's treatment, especially the nine-month gap without mental health services.[5] Crime-and-justice analysts have debated the role of the law enforcement in failing to apprehend Valdo Calocane before the tragic events that occurred in Nottingham, raising concerns about the effectiveness of local policing.
