Thomas Cashman to appeal conviction for murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel

Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer has lodged an appeal against his murder conviction.

Nine-year-old Olivia was fatally shot in the chest when Thomas Cashman chased another man into her house in Dovecot, 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.

On Wednesday (November 15), Cashman's application to challenge the sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal, for the second time. His previous bid to appeal his jail term was rejected in July, without a hearing.

• Watch now on Shots! Olivia Pratt Korbel - an innocent child taken too soon

Three appeal judges – Dame Victoria Sharp, Mrs Justice McGowan and Mr Justice Chamberlain – oversaw the Court of Appeal hearing in London on Wednesday morning and refused Cashman's request.

Explaining the decision to the Court, Dame Sharp said: "The length of the sentence reflects the terribleness of his crimes rather than any error on the part of the judge. There were no mitigating factors, there was no remorse. Permission to appeal is refused."

After the hearing, a court official and a lawyer representing Cashman said an appeal against conviction had been lodged, reports the BBC. They added that the application had yet to be considered by a judge and no hearing date had been set.