Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller, two of the three survivors of the Nottingham Attack welcome the publication of the Terms of Reference that will shape the upcoming Inquiry. They were both seriously injured in the attack which left them with life-changing injuries.
Wayne suffered a serious head injury in the attack which placed him in a coma. He also suffered multiple orthopedic 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.
Sharon suffered significant orthopedic 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.
Following the announcement of the terms of reference for the Inquiry, with the support of their solicitor, Greg Almond from Nottingham-based law firm Rothera Bray (who is representing them at the Inquiry and in their civil case), the survivors are writing to a group of Nottingham MPs and the Mayor to ask for a meeting to discuss how they can foster local engagement with the Inquiry and ensure that recommendations arising from it are implemented.
It is hoped that a meeting with Nadia Whittmore (MP for Nottingham East), Alex Norris (Nottingham North) and Lillian Greenwood (Nottingham South), as well as the East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward, will bring the reassurances that the survivors and people of Nottingham deserve.
"We are pleased that the terms of reference are focused on what lessons need to be learnt from the failures by multiple government agencies in dealing with Calocane. However, questions remain as to how local public engagement with the Inquiry will be achieved and who will oversee the implementation of its recommendations" says Greg Almond, Solicitor and Partner at Rothera Bray. "It's crucial that Nottingham's leaders remain actively involved both during and after the Inquiry concludes to ensure there is never a repeat of an attack of this nature. The proper implementation of the Inquiry's recommendations will require effective leadership and investment, something that has not yet been spoken about."
"We want to understand how someone with paranoid schizophrenia, who had previously been hospitalised because of his condition, was able to get away with not taking his medication just because he claimed to be scared of needles. He was known to the police too. Why weren't they able to stop him? The Inquiry will uncover the truth about all the missed opportunities to stop him, and what needs to be done to prevent something as appalling as this from happening again. Not a day goes by where I don't think about what he did to Grace, Barnaby, and Ian." says survivor Sharon Miller.
Fellow survivor, Wayne Birkett says "The whole system feels broken. From the lack of money to fund mental health services, to the broken lines of communication between all the organisations who had contact with Calocane. The government needs to make sure that there is enough money and resources available to make the changes needed to protect the people of Nottingham."
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