The family of a victim in a Nottingham attack is deeply disturbed by how police handled an officer who accessed disturbing bodycam footage of their deceased child.
Emma Webber, the mother of Barnaby, who was murdered by Valdo Calocane, is feeling betrayed after discovering that the officer in question was allowed to quietly resign instead of being fired as they were initially informed.
Nottingham Police’s deputy chief constable Steve Cooper stated that Ilsadin Skenderaj was dismissed after a misconduct hearing for viewing the footage for policing purposes. This information was reiterated by then-Chief Constable Kate Meynell in a letter to the families of Barnaby and Grace O’Malley Kumar, who were also fatally stabbed by Calocane in June 2023.
Contrary to the official statement, Skenderaj was not terminated but chose to step down voluntarily in September before the disciplinary hearing in December.
While off duty at home, Skenderaj watched 12 different recordings, including footage of paramedics attending to Barnaby and Grace, both 19 years old, and placing them in body bags. He had no involvement in the case.
Ms. Webber expressed her dismay, stating, “Nottinghamshire Police completely let us down regarding Special Constable Ilsadin Skenderaj. He observed in detail 12 body-worn videos of my son and his friend receiving medical care – the most private and distressing moments of their final minutes. The chief constable assured us that he had faced repercussions and been terminated.”
“He [Skenderaj] resigned before facing any real consequences. They tried to cover it up and kept us uninformed about the extent of the misconduct until the truth emerged during the public inquiry,” she added.
The university students, Barnaby and Grace, were murdered by Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic, as they walked home from a night out. Calocane also killed school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, and carried out a vehicular attack on pedestrians. He is currently under an indefinite hospital order.
Skenderaj, who seemingly ran a property lettings business alongside his special constable position, also watched footage of Calocane’s arrest and time inside an ambulance. Despite his actions, his devices were not confiscated by authorities, and he declined a police interview.
Police personnel often have access to evidence systems as part of their duties, even if not directly involved in an investigation. They are required to access information solely for legitimate policing purposes. Special constables serve part-time as unpaid volunteer officers. The inquiry into the incidents revealed that Nottinghamshire Police was hesitant to investigate the inappropriate access of images and footage by staff on that tragic day.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Police mentioned, “The officer resigned before a gross misconduct hearing, where he was found guilty in absentia. If he had not resigned, he would have been dismissed. He was also added to the police barred list.”
