Landmarks to light up pink for Olivia Pratt-Korbel three years after tragic murder
Today (August 22) marks three years since Olivia Pratt-Korbel tragically died after being shot in her own home.
Nine-year-old Olivia was fatally shot in the chest when Thomas Cashman chased another man into her house on Kingsheath Avenue, on August 22 2022, 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 sentenced to life, with a minimum of 42 years in prison, in April 2023 but refused to appear in the dock for sentencing.
Olivia’s death was one of three murders that took place within a week in Merseyside, with 28-year-old Ashley Dale and 22-year-old Sam Rimmer dying as a result of gun crime.
These tragic murders of three innocent people led to Merseyside Police being given funding by the Home Office to begin a Clear, Hold, Build operation, known locally as EVOLVE, designed to reclaim areas worst affected by serious and organised crime and rebuild safer, stronger communities.
Since the loss of her daughter, Cheryl Korbel and her family have campaigned to change the law so that offenders are compelled to appear in the dock for sentencing, and spoke out against gun violence.
Speaking ahead of the three year anniversary of Olivia’s death, Cheryl Korbel said: “My little girl was only nine years old when she was shot in her own home. She had her whole life ahead of her and the pain of her loss is indescribable.
“It has been three years since I last heard her laugh, put her to bed or held her hand but the pain of her loss still feels like it happened yesterday.
“I will never see her grow up, get married, have children of her own or fulfil her dreams and that is devastating.
“EVOLVE was created to help prevent further tragedies and other families from having to endure the pain we feel every single day. While it’s making a difference we need your help. To keep our communities safest, if you know anything about criminality, please speak out.”
The Greystone Bridge over the M62 and Archway Road Bridge in Huyton will today be lit up in pink for Olivia, who attended St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Huyton.
The bridge landmarks lit up in pink, orange and green for Ashley Dale yesterday (August 21), remembering the Knowsley Council worker on the three year anniversary of her murder.