Mental health groups have ‘failed to acknowledge’ risk of violence, says Mind chief
Summary
The chief executive of the mental health charity Mind said that mental health groups have not fully recognized the small risk of violence from some people with severe mental illnesses. This discussion follows a public inquiry into the 2023 Nottingham attacks, where three people were killed by a man later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.Key Facts
- Mind’s chief executive, Dr. Sarah Hughes, stated that mental health charities have avoided talking about the risk of violence to reduce stigma.
- The Nottingham attacks happened on June 13, 2023, where Valdo Calocane fatally stabbed three people.
- Calocane was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was sentenced in 2024 to an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter and attempted murder.
- The public inquiry examined actions by health professionals, police, and others leading up to the attacks.
- Calocane had a history of violent behavior, refusal to take medication, and was detained under mental health laws multiple times.
- Hughes called for mental health groups to have open talks about violence risk without ignoring the problem.
- A victim’s family member welcomed this, saying previous conversations downplayed the potential danger from some mentally ill individuals.
- There is a balance between addressing stigma and acknowledging that some people with mental illness can be dangerous.
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