The parents of Barnaby Webber have spoken about the lenient punishment of their son’s killer.
The parents of university student Barnaby Webber, who was stabbed to death, appeared on Good Morning Britain today. It comes as a special review has been ordered by the government into the NHS trust where the killer, Valdo Calocane, was treated.
Calocane stabbed Barnaby Webber in Nottingham in June 2023 and was told by a Judge last week that he would be detained at Ashworth High Secure Hospital ‘very probably for the rest of your life’.
Host Susanna Reid asked Emma and David Webber what the greatest injustice they feel is and Emma replied, “The manslaughter acceptance is a huge insult.”
She added, “I will never accept anything other than Barnaby was murdered and he was murdered with somebody that knew what he was doing, he knew that it was wrong and he did it anyway and he’s admitted that he’d actually said that.”
Emma went on to explain: “I have four heroes. Two of them didn’t stand a chance – Barnaby was ambushed by this monster. Grace tried to save and she could have run away and she didn’t – she’ll forever be my hero for that. Foolish girl, I’m angry and love her at the same time.”
She continued, “But the other two heroes are James O’Malley-Kumar (Grace’s brother) and Charlie Webber because they were brave enough last week to be in court. They were brave enough to do their victim impact statements and it broke my heart hearing what they had to say.
“James said, ‘I’m an only child and I never wanted to be an only child’, and Charlie’s saying about going past Barney’s room and I think that’s what gives you the strength because I’m determined to make our house a happy house again. It’ll always be different, but he deserves that.”
Speaking on how the family are coping, David said, “You just wake up in the morning and you function through the day and you get to the end of the day, you go to bed and that’s the unfortunate time the demons hit.”
“It’s so hard when you see Charlie, Barnaby’s little brother, he was just destroyed. I’m 52 years old now, I don’t know how much longer I’ve got on this planet, but he’s got a long time. He’s got a whole life he’s got to make in front of him. I fear for him. But he’s such a strong character.”
Good Morning Britain weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX
