The family of a Nottingham stabbing victim has criticised Nottinghamshire Police after discovering a special constable viewed distressing body-worn camera footage of their child and was allowed to leave the force rather than be dismissed.
Allegations of misleading information to families
Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby Webber was killed in the attack carried out by Valdo Calocane, says she and others were told the officer involved had been sacked following a misconduct hearing. The officer, Ilsadin Skenderaj, had in fact stepped down earlier and resigned before the disciplinary process reached a hearing.
“Nottinghamshire Police failed us completely over Special Constable Ilsadin Skenderaj. He watched in detail 12 body-worn videos of my son and his friend being treated – the most private, harrowing moments of their final minutes… It is utterly heartbreaking that such a profound betrayal of trust has been allowed to pass with zero real accountability.”
The footage Skenderaj viewed at home and while off duty included recordings of paramedics providing medical assistance and images showing both victims being placed in body bags. He was not part of the operational response to the incident.
Official statements and the timeline
Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cooper said Skenderaj had been dismissed after a misconduct hearing for accessing the footage with a policing purpose. That assertion was also repeated in a letter from then-Chief Constable Kate Meynell to the families of Barnaby and Grace O’Malley Kumar, who was also killed in June 2023.
However, records show Skenderaj resigned in September prior to a misconduct hearing that took place in December, meaning formal dismissal did not occur. Families say they were only made fully aware of the extent of the misconduct following details emerging during a public inquiry.
Impact on victim families and public confidence
For the relatives of victims, the revelations have compounded grief with a sense of being misled by the force charged with their protection. The case raises questions about how police forces communicate disciplinary outcomes to bereaved families and how access to sensitive footage is controlled.
- Victims named: Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley Kumar, both aged 19 at the time of their deaths.
- Officer involved: Ilsadin Skenderaj — viewed 12 separate bodycam recordings while off duty and not assigned to the case.
- Official claims: Force leadership initially stated the officer had been dismissed; families later informed this was not the case.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Incident | Stabbings by Valdo Calocane, June 2023 |
| Victims mentioned | Barnaby Webber; Grace O’Malley Kumar (both 19) |
| Officer | Ilsadin Skenderaj — viewed 12 bodycam recordings off duty |
| Disciplinary outcome | Resigned September; misconduct hearing held December |
Local campaigners and bereaved families say this case underlines the necessity for robust safeguards around sensitive material recorded at crime scenes and transparent explanations to those affected when misconduct occurs. Nottinghamshire Police has previously provided statements to families and in public forums; the deputy chief constable’s comments that the officer was dismissed now sit alongside an account that the officer resigned prior to a hearing.
In Nottingham, where trust in public services is vital to community safety and co-operation with investigations, the handling of this matter is likely to be scrutinised further by oversight bodies and by the public as details from the public inquiry continue to emerge.
