Parents back calls for bravery medal for murdered British Indian teen

PTI

London, April 30

The parents of a British Indian medical student who was stabbed to death while trying to save her friend during the attack in Nottingham last year have backed calls for her to be awarded the George Cross – the UK's highest civilian honour for bravery.

Grace O'Malley Kumar, 19, was returning to her university with friend Barnaby Webber, also 19, when accosted by knife-wielding Valdo Calocane.

In an interview with ‘The Sun' newspaper, her father Dr Sanjoy Kumar recalled the CCTV footage of the attack in which she tried to “fight, and fight, and fight” during the attack.

"The bravery she showed was incredible for a young girl. The accolade would be an example to every other young person," said Kumar.

"The foundation that we've set up for Grace — its motto is ‘Let's be more like Grace'. The world, never mind just England, deserves people like Grace,” he said.

The George Cross is a rare honour traditionally recommended by the British Prime Minister and has been awarded only 160 times since being introduced in 1940.

“The George Cross would be a remarkable acknowledgement of her bravery, for sure. Grace is never coming back to us, but we never want her to be forgotten, and this would certainly make sure she is remembered for ever,” said her mother Sinead O'Malley.

According to the newspaper, members of Parliament have led calls for Grace to be awarded the medal after a judge referenced her “astonishing bravery” during one of the hearings in the case.

Conservative Party MP Marco Longhi, a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, and fellow Tory MP David Morris are among the parliamentarians leading the calls to honour her “selfless bravery”.

‘The Sun’ newspaper is now joining the campaign and called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III to honour the late medical student for her heroism in losing her life while trying to save the life of her friend.

Meanwhile, the victims' families are continuing to call for Calocane to face murder charges, which he denied and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. It resulted in him being sentenced earlier this year to a mental health order to be detained in a high-security hospital following a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court. 

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