Survivors of the Nottingham Attacks have given their first and only TV interview following the June 2023 attack. They shared their experience and hopes for the upcoming Inquiry, as well as what it means for the city they still live in.
Their experience of that day, and their physical and emotional trauma following the attack, has been an ordeal that they have sought to keep private. The brutal and senseless murders of the Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates, quite rightly, have been the focus of the horrific crime that took place that day.
However, following the announcement of the statutory inquiry to be chaired by Her Honour Deborah Taylor, the pair wished to share their story. The public inquiry is an important step in their rehabilitation, and they want to play their part in the inquiry.
Supported by their solicitor, Greg Almond, Partner at Rothera Bray, an interview of the two survivors was filmed by BBC East Midlands on Thursday 1st May 2025.
Wayne Birkett
Following his fatal stabbing of Ian Coates, Calocane stole his van and used it as a weapon to wreak further carnage on three pedestrians. He firstly drove along Milton Street where he deliberately struck Wayne, from behind, causing him to be catapulted into the air, resulting in him sustaining life-threatening and life-changing injuries.
Wayne suffered a serious head injury in the attack which placed him in a coma. He also suffered multiple orthopaedic injuries including fractures to his shoulder and legs. It is his memory problems that impact him the most though. He has regular headaches, dizziness, and severe memory problems. He has no memory of the attack, or real recollection of what life was like before the accident, struggling even to recall events from the previous day. "People who I've known for 40-50 years have to explain who they are. It's embarrassing and frustrating. I've had to relearn how to read, write and even use the television."
The accident meant he hasn't been able to return to his work as a forklift truck driver (he was on his way to work when the accident happened at 5.23am) a job that he loved. He credits his partner, Tracey, with "saving my life". She has cared for him every day since the attack, "it's Tracey that keeps me going."
After attacking Wayne with his van, and leaving him for dead, Calocane drove into town where, at the junction of Parliament Street and Market Street, he struck another two pedestrians, Sharon Miller and Marcin Gawronski.
Sharon Miller
Sharon was on her way to work as a cleaner when she was struck by Calocane.
As a commercial cleaner, she was always at work early to clean before the office workers arrived to start their day. She had worked as a cleaner for 27 years and had hardly had a day off. Due to her injuries Sharon hasn't been able to return to work and the job she loved.
She suffered significant orthopaedic and psychological injuries as a result of the attack. She continues to undergo rehabilitation and walks using a stick. Her partner of 33 years, Martin, has become her carer since the accident. Their plans to marry were put on hold because of the attack, but they hope that one day this can still happen.
Unlike Wayne, she remembers the attack and describes how "I thought I was dying. I just wish he had taken me instead of the students." Sharon also finds it difficult to still see Calocane's face in the news and says "He should be in prison. He should have been forced to have had his medication."
Since the accident Sharon rarely leaves the house and she "daren't do anything by myself." She describes how she is a "different Sharon."
Both Wayne and Sharon say that they wish it was them that Calocane had killed, rather than the two young students who had "their whole lives ahead of them". They are united with the bereaved families of Barnaby, Grace and Ian, whom they met for the first time when they went with their solicitor to Parliament. Wayne has also discussed the event directly with the Prime Minster at Downing Street.
Like them, they want answers.
What does the Inquiry mean to the survivors and the people of Nottingham?
The survivors and their legal team have every confidence in the Chair and her team's commitment to leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of answers for the families. The inquiry is a vital opportunity for the voice of the survivors to be heard and for their experience not to be forgotten. While lessons need to be learned, it is crucial that action is taken for the survivors and people of Nottingham in the future.
The method of attack in Wayne and Sharon's case differed to those of the deceased victims, and as residents of Nottingham who continue to rely on the NHS, CPS and the Police, the inquiry is the start of the process to restore their faith in those services and institutions.
Sharon Miller said, "We seek to understand how someone with paranoid schizophrenia—who had been detained multiple times under mental health provisions, faced allegations of physical assault requiring police involvement, and consistently refused medical treatment for his condition—was able to commit such an atrocity. We call for a coordinated approach among agencies to ensure accountability and lasting change."
Wayne Birkett added, "The government needs to ensure sufficient resources moving forward for these trusted institutions to improve, including better mental health provisions, improved justice facilities (such as appropriate court buildings), and a more transparent East Midlands Police function. As survivors, answers and recognition is essential for our journey toward closure."
The Inquiry provides the people of Nottingham with a voice on a national stage to address vital societal issues that the Inquiry will consider.
Greg concludes, "What became clear after the attack is that, unlike Manchester, Birmingham, or London, Nottingham lacks a high-profile advocate for the city. Along with the other families we've had to campaign and lobby intensely to secure an inquiry on behalf of Wayne and Sharon.
Considering the number of agencies and official bodies that came into contact with Calocane, we would have expected an inquiry to be announced much earlier by the previous government. A significant number of fundamental questions remain unanswered about how he was able to carry out the attack from which lessons must be learnt, and changes implemented if the public's trust is to be resorted in Nottingham's institutions."
Read more about the Nottingham Attacks here.
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