Families and friends of those killed in the Nottingham attack have laid flowers where the two students were murdered a year ago today.
Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, were stabbed by Valdo Calocane as they walked home after a night out celebrating the end of exams.
The 32-year-old also knifed to death school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, as he made his way to work at Huntingdon Academy in the early hours.
A trail of flowers was put down beside the road where the students died.
A memorial service also took place at the university, with the fathers of Grace and Barnaby recalling how happy they both were in the city.
There was also a two-minute silence and friends lined up to add single flowers to a bouquet near the stage.
Grace’s father held back tears as he recalled how his “hero” daughter “fought valiantly” during the attack – and “chose friendship over fear” as she tried to help Barnaby.
“She was brave and she was beautiful”, he told the audience.
Sanjoy Kumar recalled how Grace’s life was focussed on three things: trying to become a doctor, playing hockey and socialising with friends.
He said time had “stood still” since the attack but the immense support shown to them had helped them carry on.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates
The fathers of the students spoke at a service at the university
Barnaby’s father thanked his son’s friends who turned out to remember him at the spot where he died.
“That was the most moving thing I’ve seen in a long time,” he said.
He urged them to “stay strong” and said despite the world often being a “dark place”, “you guys are showing us there is lots of light”.
In a statement ahead of the service, the Webber, Coates and O’Malley-Kumar families said the killings were a “series of catastrophic missed opportunities” which led to “entirely preventable deaths”.
They said “no stone will be left unturned” in their battle for justice.
Valdo Calocane. Pic: PA
Calocane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter by diminished responsibility in January.
The families tried to appeal the sentence but the Court of Appeal said it wasn’t “not unduly lenient” given Calocane’s paranoid schizophrenia.
They have also criticised Nottinghamshire Police and the Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust after it was revealed Calocane had previously been detained in hospital four times, with a warrant for his arrest also issued months before the killings.
