Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Four men arrested over murder of nine-year-old in Liverpool are bailed

Four men arrested in connection with the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Dovecot have been conditionally bailed.

Merseyside Police had been granted an extra 36 hours to continue questioning a 34-year-old man from Liverpool, who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday.

Another a 34-year-old man from Liverpool, a 41-year-old man from Knowsley and a 29-year-old man were arrested on the same day on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Olivia was fatally shot in the chest when a gunman chased another man into her home on Kingsheath Avenue, on August 22, and opened fire.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, was shot in the arm as she struggled to close the door on the intruders.

The gunman’s intended target - convicted burglar Joseph Nee - was also shot after bursting into their home as he fled the shooter. Both were treated in hospital for their injuries.

Ms Korbel, 46, had opened the door to investigate a disturbance in the street.

Merseyside Police say the investigation into Olivia’s tragic murder is ongoing and they are attempting to build up ‘a strong evidential picture’ in order to bring the killer to justice.

Mother of Olivia makes emotional appeal

On Tuesday, the mother of Olivia called on those responsible for her daughter’s murder to ‘own up’ in an emotional video appeal.

Ms Korbel also paid tribute to her “little shadow”.

She appeared in the video appeal wearing a cast on her wrist where she had been shot and said she hoped whoever was responsible for the killing would come forward.

Ms Korbel said: “You know you’ve done wrong, so you need to own up. Like I taught my kids, you do something wrong, you own up to it.

“If anyone is hiding these guns they need to speak up because they need to be off the streets. No one, no one at all should have to go through this.”

Ms Korbel broke down in tears as she described how her daughter would never stop talking and said: “That’s what I miss the most, because I can’t hear her talk.”

Olivia’s father, John Francis Pratt, also paid tribute to his daughter and called for anyone with information on her death to come forward.

Who has been arrested in the murder case?

A 34-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested in Runcorn, on Sunday, on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

A 41-year-old man, from Knowsley, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, also in Runcorn, on Sunday.

A 29-year-old was arrested on the same charge later in the day as part of raids at two addresses in the Liverpool area.

A fourth man, 34, from Liverpool, was stopped on the M42 motorway on Sunday evening and arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. The vehicle has been seized.

All four men have been conditionally bailed on Wednesday.

Two man previously arrested on suspicion of murder were released on bail last week, with one recalled to prison after breaching the terms of his licence.