TWO university students killed in the horror Nottingham attack were seen happily chatting away just moments before they were knifed to death.
Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both aged 19, strolled along the street, turning to talk to each other with animated arms as they made their way home.
But tragically the teens never made it back to their university hall - they were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane in what's been dubbed a "despicable and murderous" rampage.
Calocane, 32, yesterday pled guilty to the manslaughter of Grace and Barnaby, and 65-year-old grandfather Ian Coates.
The triple killer confessed to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
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Nottingham Crown Court heard Calocane was suffering from "extreme" mental illness at the time, including paranoid schizophrenia.
He will no longer stand trial for murder and will be sentenced for the deaths today.
The families of his three victims wept as the horror events of June 13 last year were retold in court.
Grace and Barnaby were walking home after an end-of-term night out.
CCTV footage showed them deep in conversation as they wandered along the footpath - clueless that Calocane was waiting to pounce.
He was said to have been lying in wait for a victim and leapt at the pair with a dagger in hand that he'd pulled from his bag.
Grace has been hailed a "hero" for trying to save her pal who suffered "grave injuries" after he was stabbed "repeatedly".
As Barnaby collapsed, she tried to fight Calocane off and pushed him onto the road.
However, he then turned his attention on her - and was "as uncompromisingly brutal in his assault of Grace as he was in his assault of Barnaby".
The pair were left dying on the footpath with "unsurvivable" injuries just 300 yards from their halls - while Calocane "calmly" walked away.
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Barnaby's dad David Webber yesterday told the court he and his family are still daily overwhelmed with the "crippling" pain of losing him.
David said, speaking to Calocane: "Your despicable, murderous actions are not repairable in this or any other lifetime.
"Your evil, vicious, selfish, unforgivable actions have caused damage that will never be repaired.
"I believe in karma; I hope you get all you deserve for the rest of your life."
It was after attacking Barnaby and Grace that the killer came across caretaker Ian.
He stabbed the grandad to death, stole his van and used it to ram the three pedestrians.
The triple killer previously admitted the attempted murders of Sharon Miller, Marcin Gawronski and Wayne Birkett, who were injured by the vehicle.
Ian's son yesterday also spoke directly to Calocane in court.
Staring straight at his dad's killer, James Coates said: "Mine is only short so I hope you're listening Valdo?
Your despicable, murderous actions are not repairable in this or any other lifetime.
David Webber
"Our dad was only five months away from retirement and was on his way to work when he was brutally murdered, a senseless killing and a life taken with no remorse.
"He had plans to carry out what he loved in his retirement, years of fishing. But a selfish monster decided to go on a killing spree."
The Sun exclusively revealed that the killer had been booted out of university halls for attacking a flatmate - and had the nickname "serial killer".
A video shows Calocane holding Chris Young in a headlock just a year before the horror rampage.
Pals told how the violence broke out when mature student Calocane snapped at being asked to pick up dirty washing at the apartment.
The clip shows panicked Chris begging for roommates to “call police” and screaming “Valdo, get off me” during the attack at Rayleigh Park halls, in March 2022.
Officers attended the scene and escorted Calocane away - before university officials pushed for him to not face prosecution.
The Times also reported police had issued a warrant for his arrest in September 2022.
It came after he didn't show up in court for an assault charge after he attacked an officer who was taking him to hospital for mental health treatment.
But, officers never tracked him down and nine months later he knifed Barnaby, Grace and Ian to death.
