Nottingham attacker faces life in jail after killing two students and a school caretaker in knife and van rampage
A KNIFEMAN who killed a caretaker and two students in a gruesome rampage is facing jail after his manslaughter plea was accepted.
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 previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
A judge today accepted his plea - meaning Calocane will not stand trial for murder.
The triple killer also admitted the attempted murders of Sharon Miller, Marcin Gawronski and Wayne Birkett, who were injured when they were hit by a van.
Nottingham Crown Court was told Calocane was suffering from "extreme" mental illness at the time, including paranoid schizophrenia.
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Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC said he would have understood what he was doing when he attacked his victims using a dagger he described as "a double-edged fighting knife".
He added: "We have also consulted with the families of the deceased.
"We considered carefully representations made in the course of those consultations; we also considered the particular gravity and complexity of this case, including that which we submit are the grossly aggravating factors of the multiplicity of fatal and intended fatal offending.
"In these circumstances, the Crown concluded that it was appropriate to accept the pleas to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.
"For the avoidance of any possible doubt, it is the Crown's position that the appalling facts of this case render it to be one of the utmost seriousness."
Calocane is now facing a two-day sentencing hearing.
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".
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