Priti Patel announces trauma support fund for Merseyside after Olivia Pratt-Korbel murder

The Home Secretary has announced a £150,000 package to support communities in Merseyside in the wake of the recent tragic shootings.

Priti Patel visited the scene of Olivia Pratt-Korbel's murder, in Dovecot.

The nine-year-old is the youngest victim of three fatal shootings in Liverpool in recent days.

The government has now committed to a support package, directed to the communities of Liverpool and Knowsley.

The funding will provide trauma-informed support in local schools, as well as mental health provisions for those affected by the deaths of Olivia, Ashley Dale and Sam Rimmer.

The Home Secretary also announced £350,000 to expand the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ pilot to other areas in Merseyside affected by Serious and Organised Crime.

Priti Patel, who vowed to provide Merseyside Police with additional resources to find Olivia's killer, said the government will "stop at nothing" to bring down serious violence.

Ms Patel met with Chief Constable Serena Kennedy to receive an update on the investigation, and with the local policing commander to understand the impact the violence has had on the community.

A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murdering the nine-year-old on Thursday evening, after armed police raided a block of flats in Huyton.

Two people - a man and a woman - have been arrested in connection with the murder of Knowsley Council worker Ashley Dale.

Meanwhile, three people have been arrested on suspicion of murder following the shooting of Sam Rimmer in Dingle.

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