Families Speak: Ian Coates' Story

0:00On March 24th, the Nottingham Inquiry into last year's deadly attacks is now hearing directly from the families of those killed. This week marks the first time bereaved relatives and survivors share their stories at hearings in London. Today, focus turns to the family of 65-year-old Ian Coats, who was stabbed to death on June 13th while heading to his job as a school. Caretaker Ian grew up in Nottingham after moving there as a boy from Lincolnshire. He loved cheering on Nottingham Forest at the city ground and spent years as a painter and decorator before becoming a caretaker at Huntington Academy. Just four months from retirement, he was also a devoted grandfather and avid fisherman who started a kid's fishing club with his own money. Elaine Newton, Ian's partner, described walking to a bus stop that morning when she first heard sirens and saw a police man nearby. Later at work, officers broke the news that Ian was gone, and she initially feared to involve one of her own sons.

1:00Ian's three sons have attended the inquiry throughout. The inquiry is digging into what led up to Vowdo Calakaine's rampage, which claimed the lies of Ian, university students Barnaby Weber and Grace, O'Malley Kumar, and left three others seriously hurt. Coming up, two of Ian's sons, James and Lee, will give their accounts. These personal testimonies highlight the profound losses from that tragic day and aim to uncover lessons for preventing future failures in the system.