A student who was killed in the Nottingham attacks while trying to protect her friend has been posthumously awarded the George Medal for ‘exceptional courage’.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, was killed when she intervened and sought to try to save Barnaby Webber, also 19, after he was attacked while they walked home from a night out in 2023.
The Nottingham University medical student is one of 20 people honoured in the latest Gallantry Awards list.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Grace, saying her legacy would live on as a ‘powerful example of heroism’ and that she made the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ to protect her friend.
‘This is what true courage looks like,’ Starmer said.
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‘I want to pay tribute to all of the recipients, including Grace O’Malley-Kumar, who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect her friend. Her legacy will live on as a powerful example of heroism.’
‘In moments of unimaginable danger, these extraordinary people acted with selflessness and bravery that speaks to the very best of who we are as a nation,’ he added.
‘We owe each of them – and their families – our deepest thanks. Their actions remind us of the strength and compassion that run through our communities.’
Grace and Barnaby were stabbed to death by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane, who was given an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
Calocane also killed school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, during the attacks in the early hours of June 13, 2023 and attempted to kill three others.
The George Medal, which is open to civilians, is awarded for ‘conspicuous gallantry not in the presence of the enemy’.
Grace’s citation read: ‘Grace’s exceptional courage in the face of extreme danger serves as an outstanding example of personal bravery.’
The award came after a campaign for Grace to be awarded the even more prestigious George Cross, the highest gallantry award given for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy.
Since its creation in 1940, the George Cross has been awarded 416 times – 401 to men, 12 to women and three times ‘collectively’.
During Calocane’s trial, prosecutor Karim Khalil KC said Grace had shown ‘incredible bravery’ by trying to protect Mr Webber from Calocane’s blows and trying to fight him off, pushing him away and into the road.
The killer then turned his attention to her and was ‘as uncompromisingly brutal in his assault of Grace as he was in his assault of Barnaby’, Mr Khalil said.
The medal will be presented to Grace’s family.
The two friends were awarded posthumous degrees this summer from the University of Nottingham, where Barnaby was studying history and Grace was a medical student.
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