A public inquiry into the sickening Nottingham murders has been confirmed by Keir Starmer in a "watershed" moment.

The announcement comes after demands by the families of 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar and 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates for answers. They met with the PM in No10, where they were told the inquiry will begin in weeks and will be completed within two years.

Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace, said: "Everywhere where Valdo Calocane interacted with the authorities we were let down.... We will be able to get answers to our many questions, it's fantastic news."

He continued: "For the nation it's a great day because everyone that's suffered like we have, we will make sure changes come from our inquiry for the betterment of our country... it will make the land safer for all of us."

Barnaby, Grace and Ian were killed in the vicious rampage by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane. He was free to roam the streets following a shocking string of errors by mental health teams. He stabbed Barnaby, Grace and Ian before trying to kill three other people in a spate of attacks in June 2023.

Dr Kumar said the PM had apologised for the ordeal they experienced. Emma Webber, the mother of Barnaby, said: "Today is a watershed moment.. it will be a moment when those who failed so grossly will be held to account." She continued: "Don't underestimate the cost and the toll it's taken on everybody stood here today.

"It's shameful we've had to fight like we have against the agencies, the organisations and the institutions."

Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder. The PM promised the grieving families he would order a judge-led inquiry into missed opportunities to prevent the tragedy.

Earlier this week No10 said the PM backs a judge-led inquiry into the case, but did not give a timeframe. An independent report commissioned by NHS England into Calocane's care revealed a shocking series of errors by mental health teams that led to him being free to roam the streets. The report disclosed staff did not force Calocane to have long-lasting antipsychotic medication because he did not like needles.

Just a fortnight before the murders, Calocane's psychiatrist had chillingly warned that his mental illness was so severe that he could "end up killing someone". But despite the damning assessment, he was released back into the community.

Around 4am on June 13, 2023, Calocane stabbed medical student Grace and history student Barnaby to death in the Ilkeston Road area as the friends walked home from a night out. Caretaker Ian, who was just weeks away from retiring at Huntington Academy, was later killed two miles away in Mapperley Park.

Calocane then stole Ian's van and drove into Nottingham city centre, where he careered into pedestrians at two separate locations. Two victims - Sharon Miller and Marcin Gawronski - suffered minor injuries, while another man, Wayne Birkett, 58, was critically hurt.