Valdo Calocane gets hospital order- Families of the victims are angry about it

There’s range of new sources covering the story:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68087302

Some argue that the police could have been done more and that this a failure in the UK’s justice system.

UPDATE: The sentencing is to be reviewed (https://news.sky.com/story/nottingham-killer-valdo-calocanes-lenient-sentence-being-reviewed-by-attorney-general-13056485)

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 1

moonkatt

19

I understand the family’s anger, but what more could the courts and cps do here? Would they have been happier if he were tried for murder and acquitted due to his mental illness? The guys likely never going to be released and places like Broadmoor are no different to high security prisons.

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

There is a reason this process exists and its because people with such severe mental health issues genuinely are not in control if their actions in the way someone else would be.

There is a real failure if as indicated the police and other services had been aware of a risk of him harming others fir months beforehand and failed to act on it. That is a separate matter and doesn't change the psychiatric condition the perpetrator has or how that is seen legally.

And clearly putting people with severe psychiatric conditions in a general population prison is just going to put them and others at risk of harm. As above the secure hospital facilities are effectively prisons but with the necessary healthcare staff to support the complex psychiatric (and potentially physical) health conditions those who are incarcerated there have.

The failure here is in what could have been done before to avoid it. Not in how it wad handled after the fact.

Reply 3

Sorcerer's Storm

20

The judgement has been referred to the Attorney General amid fears the sentence is too lenient.

Reply 4

Gazpacho.

11

The family are right to be angry towards police and mental health services. This was the culmination of several violent altercations. The accounts I’ve read indicate he should have been an inpatient or arrested.

As for the CPS/sentencing, he will likely be detained in hospital for the rest of his life. So feel manslaughter over murder is neither here nor there.

OP

Original post by moonkatt

I understand the family’s anger, but what more could the courts and cps do here? Would they have been happier if he were tried for murder and acquitted due to his mental illness? The guys likely never going to be released and places like Broadmoor are no different to high security prisons.

I think that people wanted him to be tried and arrested for murder rather this outcome.

For me personally I have no words on this (as in I can’t make a judgement) but I can completely understand the anger from the public (although I have seen some terrible comments online) and the family of the victims.

Just shows a failure from the UK (Mental Health Services and the Police) and I’d even argue Portugal as the man was Portuguese apparently.

OP

Original post by Sorcerer of Old

The judgement has been referred to the Attorney General amid fears the sentence is too lenient.

I don’t whether that’ll change the outcome or not but hopefully the families can get the justice that they seek.

OP

Original post by Guru Jason

X

I don’t think that we should bring back the death penalty personally.

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 8

Guru Jason

21

Original post by Talkative Toad

I don’t think that we should bring back the death penalty personally.

Each to their own but life in a comfy hospital is not punishment.

(edited 3 months ago)

OP

Original post by Guru Jason

Each to their own but life in a comfy hospital is not punishment.

I’ve never been in a MH high security hospital but based on what I’ve seen some people say online, I’ve heard that it’s worse than prison.

I think that the death penalty is the easy way out (compared to going to prison) but that’s another topic.

Reply 10

Guru Jason

21

Original post by Talkative Toad

I’ve never been in a MH high security hospital but based on what I’ve seen some people say online, I’ve heard that it’s worse than prison.

I think that the death penalty is the easy way out (compared to going to prison) but that’s another topic.

He should be stuck in a 5 by 5 cell with nothing but bread and water for the rest of his life if we're not doing the death penalty route.

Reply 11

StriderHort

21

Original post by Guru Jason

Each to their own but life in a comfy hospital is not punishment.

'Comfy Hospital' 😛

Aye it looks well nice, I'd like my breakfast and paper sent up at 9am please by a cute candy striper.

OP

Original post by StriderHort

'Comfy Hospital' 😛

Aye it looks well nice, I'd like my breakfast and paper sent up at 9am please by a cute candy striper.

Looks more like a prison than a hospital honestly (assuming that’s supposed to be the hospital).

OP

Original post by Guru Jason

He should be stuck in a 5 by 5 cell with nothing but bread and water for the rest of his life if we're not doing the death penalty route.

I’d personally say neither but then again I don’t know what judgement i’d make in this situation.

Hopefully things will work out in the victims favour though.

Reply 14

StriderHort

21

Original post by Talkative Toad

Looks more like a prison than a hospital honestly (assuming that’s supposed to be the hospital).

Yeah that's the entrance to Broadmoor hospital, and it looks a lot like a prison because it's a lot like a prison. They might put a little more effort into dressing the place up like a primary school and engagement efforts but it would be a terrifying place to reside with little to no hope of every getting out and a loss of liberties that would shock even a regular prisoner - I've seen a few docs and interviews about the place, and it seems like the most empowering decisions any of these 'patients' will ever get to make again are along the lines of what colour food they would like.

Reply 15

Joinedup

20

Seems like the CPS might have managed the bereaved families expectations incorrectly... IMO it seems, based on the publicly available information, that the guy was a dangerous schizophrenic who probably could not be held legally responsible for his actions and high security psychiatric hospital is therefore probably the right place for him.

Reply 16

Guru Jason

21

Original post by Talkative Toad

I’d personally say neither but then again I don’t know what judgement i’d make in this situation.

Hopefully things will work out in the victims favour though.

The victims are dead. None of this works in their favour. Short of equal punishment for the murderer, nothing will really work out.

OP

Original post by Guru Jason

The victims are dead. None of this works in their favour. Short of equal punishment for the murderer, nothing will really work out.

By in their favour I mean they get the justice that they personally seek.

OP

Original post by StriderHort

Yeah that's the entrance to Broadmoor hospital, and it looks a lot like a prison because it's a lot like a prison. They might put a little more effort into dressing the place up like a primary school and engagement efforts but it would be a terrifying place to reside with little to no hope of every getting out and a loss of liberties that would shock even a regular prisoner - I've seen a few docs and interviews about the place, and it seems like the most empowering decisions any of these 'patients' will ever get to make again are along the lines of what colour food they would like.

That sounds as bad (if not worse) than prison then.

Reply 19

StriderHort

21

Original post by Talkative Toad

That sounds as bad (if not worse) than prison then.

I accept for some people it's the only 'safe' place and and a necessary evil in society, but the idea that any right thinking person would find it any way comfy or a nice holiday is disingenuous bordering on outrageous and had to be challenged.

For all the people that label these sort of institutions as comfy or holiday camps, none of them ever seem to want to go themselves, even if it's free.

Valdo Calocane gets hospital order- Families of the victims are angry about it

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you