Today’s news summary – Paper Talk: Nottingham attacks killer sentenced
Friday’s front pages cover the sentencing of Valdo Calocane, who stabbed three people to death in Nottingham last year. Earlier in the week he admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Valdo Calocane sentenced
Metro’s front page declares “No Justice” as the families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates express their disappointment, insisting that “true justice has not been served” following the decision to give Calocane a hospital order.
The Daily Mirror features a poignant image capturing one of the final moments of students Grace O’Malley Kumar and Barnaby Webber before their tragic deaths last summer. The paper highlights the fury of families who feel let down by the judiciary, criticising the decision to detain their killer in a high-security hospital instead of pursuing a murder charge. The families are also upset about the lack of police action regarding an earlier attack.
The Daily Telegraph showcases grieving families outside Nottingham Crown Court, revealing that Valdo Calocane’s sentence is under scrutiny for a potential review by the attorney general.
On the front page of The Times, Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, addresses the public outside the court. The victims’ families condemn the police and mental health services for not detaining Calocane, whom the paper describes as “obviously dangerous.”
The Daily Express captures the grieving families of the Nottingham victims in a powerful photograph at the top of its front page. The subheading quotes the mother of 19-year-old Barnaby Webber accusing Nottinghamshire Constabulary, stating, “you have blood on your hands.”
Baroness Mone’s assets frozen
In other news, The Guardian reports the EU’s strategy to stockpile medicines, potentially exacerbating the existing record drug shortages in the UK. The EU is transitioning to a collaborative approach among its 27 members to secure a steady supply of 200 commonly used medications, raising concerns about the impact on the UK’s pharmaceutical availability.
According to the Financial Times, Baroness Mone’s assets, including a Belgravia townhouse associated with the Conservative peer and her husband Douglas Barrowman, have been frozen or restrained by a court order. This development arises amid a National Crime Agency investigation into alleged PPE fraud involving the couple.
The Daily Express focuses on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s pledge of tax cuts, assuring the public that the reductions impacting their pay packets are “just the start.” The paper hints at the possibility of further cuts, whether in income tax or another reduction in national insurance, in the upcoming budget in March.
Lastly, the i newspaper reports that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has received a warning that any commitment to match Conservative tax plans would necessitate additional cuts to public services. The potential consequences of aligning with the opposition’s tax proposals are brought into focus amid concerns about the impact on essential public services.