Thomas Cashman: Killer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel in fresh bid to appeal 42-year jail sentence

The man who shot and killed a nine-year-old girl in her Dovecot home has renewed his bid to appeal his prison sentence.

Olivia Pratt-Korbel was fatally shot in the chest when Thomas Cashman chased another man into her house on Kingsheath Avenue, on August 22, and opened fire through the door. Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was shot through the hand and intended target Joseph Nee was also wounded.

Cashman was found guilty of the murder of Olivia by a jury of 10 men and two women after a three-and-a-half-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, and sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 42 years, back in April.

Olivia’s mother Cheryl welcomed the sentence, but added her family had “already started our life sentence” having to spend the rest of our their lives without their daughter.

Cashman has now has renewed his application to appeal the sentence after a previous bid was rejected in July. A new hearing has been set for November 15 at the Court of Appeal in London.

The Court of Appeal previously confirmed that his legal team planned to argue his sentence was too harsh and he should serve less time before parole.