Lack of victims' rights in new Bill ‘outrageous', says Barnaby Webber's mother
Discretion of the information will be left to hospital managers and probation services instead, with victims having no legal right to be informed, carry out a consultation or appeal any decisions.
(Left to right) Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were all killed in the Nottingham attacks in 2023 (Nottinghamshire Police/PA)
Valdo Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, killed 19-year-old students Barnaby and Grace O'Malley-Kumar and 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates before attempting to kill three other people, in a spate of attacks in the city in June 2023.
He was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January last year after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder.
A judge-led public inquiry into the decisions made prior to the attacks was announced in February and is due to take place later this year.
Emma Webber said the Bill would be 'a betrayal of every victim who has already been failed by this system' if it was passed into law in its current form.
'This must not happen. It is utterly outrageous that the Government would even contemplate this,' she said.
'So egregious are the failings by every single agency involved in every aspect of our tragedy that a statutory public inquiry is under way.
'A significant part of the inquiry will focus on the failings of 'hospital managers' and 'clinicians' who failed to do their jobs properly. Resulting in the monster who killed my beautiful child be allowed to roam the streets and hide in plain sight.'
Ms Webber continued: 'Why has the Government chosen to include us as families in the proposals for the mental health bill, revision of our homicide laws and even the 10-year plan but conveniently chosen to ignore us on what is probably the one that will affect us the most?'
Campaigners have called on victims minister Alex Davies-Jones to amend the Bill by guaranteeing all victims have the right to be consulted, receive necessary information and be informed of key decisions, and to create a formal appeal process when information is denied.
Julian Hendy, founder of Hundred Families, said the Bill as it stands was 'not just a loophole, it's a kick in the teeth' for bereaved families and victims.
She said: 'We are talking about offenders who have been convicted of the most serious of crimes, which cause extreme concern amongst the public.
'This is not about punishment. It's about basic fairness, compassion, and transparency. Victims and their families should not be shut out of decisions that affect their personal safety and recovery.
'We have a lamentably long track record in our country of ignoring victims of serious crime. That has to stop. There is a balance to be struck.
'The Government has a clear opportunity to put this right and they must not waste it.'
The Victims and Courts Bill is currently at the report stage in the House of Commons after first being introduced to Parliament in May.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
India proposes 20C lower limit for air conditioners to save energy
India's government is seeking to limit temperature settings on new air conditioners to save electricity in what is considered the fastest-growing market for them. The power minister has proposed a rule requiring air conditioners sold in the country to have thermostats that can be set no lower than 20C. Indian officials hope the restriction will create massive energy savings in the country of over 1.4 billion people. Between 10 and 15 million air conditioners are sold in India annually as incomes and urbanisation increase along with the temperatures. The current lowest setting is 17C. Officials say each degree an air conditioner is turned up saves about 6 per cent on energy. Proposed change draws mixed reaction Energy experts say the proposal is a positive step but that requiring units to be more energy efficient will help more. Power minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the proposed rule would take effect soon but wasn't specific about timing. The proposal has received mixed reviews from people living in India's sweltering cities. 'Overall, I think it's good to try and save energy but at the same time I hope the government makes sure people are not too inconvenienced,' said Vikram Kannan, 37, a teacher from the humid southern city of Chennai. 'Sometimes there's no choice but to set a low air conditioner temperature in cities like Chennai because it's just way too hot and humid. My daughter gets heat pimples at times if we don't do this.' Air conditioners are fast becoming some of the biggest energy guzzlers in India. Room air conditioners accounted for nearly a quarter of the electricity consumed during periods of highest usage in 2024, a measure known as peak demand, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. New AC units added between 2019 and 2024 increased India's peak demand by an amount roughly equivalent to what it would take to power New Delhi for a year, they estimated. Energy demand is typically highest during summer months when temperatures can reach 51C in parts of the country. If changes aren't made, India is expected to have power shortages by next year. India's hunger for energy is also a key reason the country is one of the highest emitters of planet-heating gases. Clean energy use is growing but most of India's electricity is provided by climate-polluting fossil fuels such as coal. Nikit Abhyankar, a leader of the India Energy and Climate Center at the University of California, Berkley, said that Delhi, like other major Indian cities, was now experiencing dual peaks in electricity use – one in the afternoon and another around midnight – driven largely by air conditioners. While solar energy can help offset daytime demand, nighttime cooling still relies heavily on fossil fuels. Rule changes can nudge consumers to use less energy The air conditioner proposal is the latest in a series of government measures over the past decade aimed at saving energy, such as mandating that government offices be cooled at no less than 24C. In 2022, the government launched the Mission Life programme that encouraged people to reduce emissions by cutting electricity use or skipping unnecessary car trips. The initiative announced with much fanfare received mixed responses. Some people are supportive of the proposed change to air conditioner settings. Sunil Kumar, 47, from East Delhi, said that the rule could prevent fire hazards and lower bills. ' People used to live without air conditioners. We can adjust,' Mr Kumar, who makes a living driving an autorickshaw in the city, said. Surjeet Singh, a businessman in Delhi, said turning air conditioners down to their current lowest setting was 'unnecessary'. 'People have gotten too comfortable,' he said, suggesting that cities could invest in planting trees to tackle urban heat. Indian air conditioners are inefficient Mr Abhyankar argued that while changing temperature settings could help, requiring ACs to be energy efficient would do more. 'Tightening the minimum efficiency standards can change things pretty significantly,' Mr Abhyankar, who has also studied the energy sector in the US, China, Indonesia and Vietnam, said. Calling the proposed rule a 'step in the right direction,' Pramod Singh, energy savings expert with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy in Delhi, said replacing India's estimated 80 million older-generation inefficient air conditioners was a key challenge for the government. Many units available in India were so inefficient they couldn't be sold in many other countries, Abhyankar said. 'Although India imports most key components for its air conditioners from China, nearly 80 per cent of air conditioners that are currently sold in India would be banned in China,' he said. Energy experts say other small changes can reduce energy use and customer costs, like making sure all new buildings are adequately ventilated, combining ACs with other cooling methods and using smart technologies to run them. 'Air conditioner use reduces significantly if users also run their ceiling fans, as the room cools much faster,' Mr Abhyankar explained.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
No 'pause' needed after gender court ruling, says UN official
Special rapporteur questions delay following Supreme Court ruling Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A leading United Nations official has warned Scottish ministers that there is no need for them to 'put on hold' plans responding to the landmark Supreme Court gender ruling, with no "ambiguity' surrounding what the UK's highest court said. Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, said there should be no 'pause' in action taken by the Scottish Government to ensure the sex-based rights of women are upheld in the wake of the seminal ruling, which stated that 'sex' should be legally interpreted as referring to either a biological man or woman. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The ruling in April has wide-ranging implications for public bodies, service providers, and businesses across the country, and the Scottish Government has said that work is ongoing in order to provide them with 'detailed guidance.' An Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) consultation on the guidance closed at the beginning of this month. Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls. Picture: UN | UN But amid ongoing questions over the lack of any new guidance, policies, and legislation following the judgement, Ms Alsalem said it was time for the Scottish Government to 'actually get on with it and do it.' 'There is a lot that can and should be implemented' In an interview with the Sunday Times, the key figure at the UN agency said : 'I do not think we should pause or put on hold any action awaiting this guidance, and I don't think the Supreme Court said that either.' She added: 'While it is good you will have guidance, I do agree with those who say that there is a lot that can and should be implemented. It is not that there is ambiguity about all aspects of what the Supreme Court says.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In calling for the Scottish government to act, Ms Alsalem said: 'If businesses and state-affiliated institutions and government entities recognise that this is the right thing to do, and now this has also been said clearly by the Supreme Court, they actually get on with it and do it.' It goes against 'law of the land' Ms Alsalem also claimed that some organisations had 'punished' those who stood up for their sex-based rights. Referring specifically to Sandie Peggie, the nurse at the centre of an employment tribunal against NHS Fife, she said that public bodies that failed to support a woman's right to single-sex spaces were falling foul of legislation. PA She said of the case: 'Particularly since the Supreme Court ruling, punishing women because they indicate their support for their sex-based right at work seems to me to be very problematic and goes against what is now the law of the land.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Peggie was suspended after complaining about sharing a changing room with a transgender doctor. She claims her treatment by the health board was unlawful under the Equalities Act. The tribunal, which began in February, is due to resume later this week. Ms Alsalem also said it was of importance that Police Scotland clarified its approach to data collection and ended its practice of conflating biological sex with gender identity. 'The conflation of sex and gender data, in particular prioritising self-identified gender, erases biological sex records, distorting the male-driven nature of violence against women and girls and hindering root-cause analysis,' she said. 'This approach undermines crime statistics and policy effectiveness in relation to violence against women and girls.' She also backed proposed legislation to criminalise buying sex and said that Scotland should outlaw child marriage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Farcical' delay in implementing ruling For Women Scotland, the gender-critical campaign group which brought a case against the Scottish Government arguing that sex-based protections should only apply to people that are born female, leading to April's Supreme Court judgement, shared Ms Alsalem's remarks on social media, and thanked her for her views. Responding to Ms Alsalem's comments, Tess White, the Scottish Conservative shadow equalities minister, said: 'Almost three months to the day since the verdict, John Swinney is still determined to trample on the safety and rights of women. UN officials have rightly criticised his shameful handling of this and the SNP's farcical delay in implementing the court ruling. 'The Supreme Court was crystal clear, and so was the EHRC's guidance in the wake of it, so there is no excuse for the SNP failing to comply fully with the law now. The SNP government must stop dragging its heels, apologise for their dangerous gender legislation and do the right thing by protecting the rights of women and girls.' It is not the first time Ms Alsalem has intervened in the Scottish Government's stance around gender and sex-based rights. In 2022, she warned that the planned gender recognition reforms brought in by then first minister Nicola Sturgeon posed risks to the safety of women. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Work 'ongoing' around guidance In a damning critique of the legislation, she said the government had not provided for any safeguarding measures so as to ensure that it could not be 'abused by sexual predators and other perpetrators of violence.' A spokesman for the Scottish Government said it had made it 'clear' that it accepted the Supreme Court's findings and that 'detailed work' was 'ongoing' in order to draft guidance.
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Scope Awards 2026: Do you have a disability champion you want to nominate?
Scope and Metro, alongside Hollywood actor Adam Pearson, are calling for people to put forward their disability equality champions, with nominations officially opening for the annual Scope Awards. Every year, the charity puts out a call for anyone who thinks they might have a friend, family member, colleague, neighbour, or celebrity they think is worthy of a nomination for the awards. The awards, which will take place next year, for which Metro is the media partner for the second year in a row, aim to not only celebrate the work of the disabled community but also to try and raise awareness of the issues faced by disabled people every day. The nine categories for this year's awards will include: Media Moment, Celebrity Role Model, Social Media Influencer, Purple Pioneer, Community Group, Local Service, Colleague Network, Workplace Champion and Customer Inclusion. These include awards for an impactful media moment that has helped shift attitudes on disability, figures who uses their channels to speak out about disability equality, a community group or organisation that brings people together to create meaningful change in their local area, and for an organisation that removes barriers and makes life more accessible for disabled people. Nominations have been tied in with Disability Pride Month, and new research has shown that just 1 in 10 people have heard of the awareness month. Disabled stars have shared what Disability Pride Month means to them – and urged disabled people to celebrate by putting themselves forward for a Scope Award. It comes at a time where the future is unsure for disabled people after the government earlier this year announced a huge five billion pounds worth of benefits cuts impacting the most vulnerable. Last week Keir Starmer survived another welfare rebellion as dozens of Labour MPs voted against the controversial shake-up. The Government's stripped-down welfare Bill, which will still see an estimated 750,000 disabled people lose £3,000 a year by 2030 was slammed as a 'stain' on the party as 47 Labour MPs rebelled against the Government to vote against its welfare reforms. According to an impact assessment by the Department for Work and Pensions released last Monday, the revised bill will mean 50,000 fewer people are in relative poverty after housing costs in 2030. An assessment of the original plans found the measures would have pushed an additional 250,000 people into poverty, with some charities saying this figure would have been higher. MORE: 'I was deaf first then Black - now I tell my story on the stage' MORE: 'It's a dark time to be disabled in the UK right now' MORE: Chris McCausland says the disabled community 'really are capable of so much more than others might think' Adam Pearson, star of A Different Man, and activist and presenter Shani Dhanda, along with stars from hit BBC show The Assembly, praised the event as an 'important spotlight on disability', which is taking place throughout July. But they also highlighted how disability pride and inclusion needed to go beyond just one month. Adam, from south London, who starred alongside Scarlett Johannson in Under the Skin, and who hosted last year's Scope Awards, said: 'Disability Pride Month is so important because it puts a spotlight on disability in a way that's really positive, that everyone can get behind. 'But why are we only doing it for a month? Why isn't every month a Disability Pride one? 'It's like saying, 'this month I'm super proud of myself, but the other eleven I'm riddled with self-doubt.' That's not how it works at all. 'But I'm glad it exists. I think it's part of a really important conversation and a journey to self-confidence as well. 'A lot of the time people don't know what they mean when they say self-confidence. 'I think real self-confidence happens when you get to show the world that you're exactly who you say you are, unashamedly and unapologetically so.' · Media Moment – an impactful media moment that has helped shift attitudes on disability · Celebrity Role Model – a disabled public figure that uses their platform to affect change · Social Media Influencer – an influencer who uses their online channels to speak out about disability equality · Purple Pioneer – someone who raises awareness of disability or works to change attitudes in their community · Community Group – a community group or organisation that brings people together to create meaningful change in their local area · Local Service – a local service, business or social enterprise that makes a lasting difference for disabled people · Colleague Network – a colleague network or employee resource group that makes the workplace more inclusive of disabled people · Workplace Champion – someone who champions disability inclusion or breaks down barriers in the workplace · Customer Inclusion – an organisation that removes barriers and makes life more accessible for disabled people Dr Shani Dhanda, award-winning disability campaigner and TV presenter told Metro: 'Disability Pride Month is a reminder to celebrate identity without apology. 'It's about embracing who we are, not despite our disabilities, but including them as a fundamental part of our experiences, perspectives, and strengths. 'Disability Pride Month gives me space to reflect, connect, and feel empowered. But more importantly, it reminds me that our stories matter every month of the year. 'Submitting a nomination for the Scope Awards is a fantastic way to keep disability pride going beyond July.' Julice starred in the hit TV series The Assembly, which scooped the gong for best Media Moment at this year's Scope Awards. Disability Pride Month began in Boston, USA, in 1990 as a grass roots movement, with a one-day celebration – the same year the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. Since then, it's grown into a global movement. Scope has supported the growth of Disability Pride Month in the UK since 2009. It's an important moment for disabled people to come together as a community. An opportunity to share experiences and start conversations. It's a celebration of the creativity, resilience, and achievements of disabled people. Disability Pride Month is for anyone who is disabled – or anyone who wishes to show their allyship by celebrating their disabled communities, like businesses. It's a time for embracing disability identity positively. And challenging the negative attitudes that hold disabled people back. Where did Disability Pride Month come from? Disability Pride Month began in Boston, USA, in 1990 – the same year the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. Since then, it's grown into a global movement. Scope has proudly supported the growth of Disability Pride Month in the UK since 2009. Is it the same as LGBTQ+ Pride? No. Disability Pride is a separate celebration, focused on disability identity and rights. Some people identify with both communities and both movements are about visibility, inclusion, and challenging negative attitudes. Why does Disability Pride matter? Because disabled people still face unfair treatment and harmful stereotypes. 3 in 4 disabled people say they've experienced negative attitudes. Disability Pride helps change the conversation. It's a chance to speak up, be proud, and create change. The rainbow of colours on the disability pride flag represents the various experiences and needs within the disabled community. Such as non-visible, sensory, physical, developmental and mental impairments and conditions. The banded arrangement of the colours represents the barriers many disabled people face and have to navigate through. This is what each colour represents: Red– Physical impairments and conditions Gold– Neurodiversity White– Non-visible and undiagnosed impairments and conditions Blue – Emotional and psychiatric conditions, including mental health, anxiety and depression Green– Hearing impaired, vision impaired, audio processing and all other sensory impairments and conditions Charcoal– The charcoal background is to represent people in the community who have experienced ableism, and to protest against this Julice said: 'It's so important to celebrate Disability Pride Month because I truly believe that speaking up, not letting people forget we exist, and showing the world our uniqueness and beauty, makes the world a brighter and more united place.' Jacob, who also starred in the programme, said: 'Disability Pride Month is a wonderful chance for people like me to celebrate our achievements and for everyone to recognise us for who we are. 'I was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and I know that not all disabilities are visible.' Disability Pride Month is a reminder to celebrate identity without apology. Jacob urged people to nominate themselves for the 2026 Scope Awards, adding: 'Winning the Scope Award for Media Moment made it one of the happiest nights of my life. And I would recommend anyone who can to enter the 2026 Scope Awards.' James Taylor, Director of Strategy, Impact and Social Change at Scope, said: MORE: 'My life is a ticking time bomb – I worry about running out of days to make change' 'My life is a ticking time bomb – I worry about running out of days to make change' 'Disability Pride Month is a celebration of the creativity, resilience and achievements of disabled people. More Trending 'It's also an important time to start conversations and challenge the negative attitudes that disabled people face all too often. 'But it's crucial to remember that disability inclusion has to go beyond just one month. 'The Scope Awards celebrate the people and organisations who are striving to create an equal future year-round. Celebrate your disability equality champion by submitting a Scope Awards nomination.' For more details about the awards and how to nominate someone please visit Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
