The man who shot and killed nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in Liverpool last year will be sentenced for murder later today.
Olivia died after Thomas Cashman fired shots into her family’s home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on 22 August 2022, during what prosecutors described as a “ruthless pursuit” to execute another man.
Cashman, 34, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia’s mother and two charges of possession of firearms by a jury at Manchester Crown Court last week.
Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel held a teddy bear as she sat with her children in court on Thursday, when Cashman was convicted by a jury.
She said she was “ecstatic” about the verdict.
Cashman’s sentencing hearing is expected to start at around 2pm today and the judge’s remarks will be filmed and broadcast live on Sky News.
Olivia’s killing shocked her community in Liverpool and there was a huge police investigation to find those responsible.
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In Cashman’s trial, the jury was told he had spent the day of Olivia’s killing “scoping out” his intended target, a convicted burglar called Joseph Nee. The prosecution said he had “murder in mind”.
The jury was shown security camera footage of the moment Cashman fired multiple shots at Nee in the street outside of Olivia’s home.
After hearing the disturbance, her mother had opened the front door to see what was happening, and Nee took the opportunity to force his way inside to escape the gunman.
The court heard Olivia had come down the stairs saying: “Mummy, I’m scared.”
The gunman continued firing into the family home, with one bullet striking Ms Korbel in the hand before hitting Olivia in the chest. She was pronounced dead in hospital.