Thomas Cashman to be sentenced for murder of Liverpool schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel today

The Liverpool gunman who shot and killed nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in her Dovecot home last year will be sentenced for her murder later on Monday.

Olivia 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 last month, where he pleaded his innocence.

The 34-year-old, of Grenadier Drive in West Derby, will return to court at around 2pm on Monday to face High Court judge, Mrs Justice Amanda Yip, who presided over his trial, for sentencing.

During the trial, the jury heard that Olivia ran downstairs after hearing shots outside her house, saying: “I’m scared mummy, I’m scared”.

In court, CCTV footage was played showing Nee being chashed up Kingsheath Avenue by Cashman, who fires three shots in the street.

Ms Korbel then opens her front door to see what the noise is and Nee runs towards it with Cashman in pursuit. Two more shots are fired, one of which goes through the front door, hitting Ms Korbel in the wrist and striking Olivia in the chest.

Cashman claimed to have been at a friend’s house at the time of the shooting, counting thousands of pounds and smoking weed. However, a woman who had a fling with Cashman told the jury he came to her house after the shooting, changed his clothes and heard him say he had “done Joey”.

The verdict: The jury found Cashman guilty of murdering Olivia, the attempted murder of Joseph Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Ms Korbel, possession of a 9mm self loading pistol with intent to endanger life and possession of a revolver with intent to endanger life.

What’s been said: Talking about Cashman after the verdict, Merseyside Police’s Chief Constable, Serena Kennedy said: “He’s despicable. He made great play in the trial that he’s a dad and yet he’s put Olivia’s family through this trial. I hope he reflects every morning when he wakes up behind bars and every night when he goes to sleep about what he’s put Olivia’s family through.”