Man admits helping Thomas Cashman to escape after Olivia Pratt-Korbel's murder

A man has admitted driving Thomas Cashman away from a house following the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

Paul Russell, 41, also disposed of Cashman's clothing following the shooting at the nine-year-old’s home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on 22 August 2022.

Russell pleaded guilty to assisting an offender at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court in October, but the media was prevented from reporting his plea until the conclusion of Cashman’s trial.

Russell, of Snowberry Road, Liverpool, was accused of driving Cashman from an address, where he fled to after the shooting, to Aspes Road.

He is also said to have disposed of a bag given to him by Cashman, which he believed to contain clothing, by passing it to another person.

According to the charge, he did so with “intent to impede apprehension and prosecution of Thomas Cashman, the person alleged to have committed the arrestable offence of murder, knowing or believing him to be guilty”.

Russell appeared by video-link for the hearing, but the screen was not on display to the press or public gallery.

The court heard his sentencing would take place after Cashman’s trial, although Russell’s representative asked for it to be held separately from a potential sentencing hearing for Cashman.

Cashman’s trial heard, after the shooting, Russell drove him from an address to Aspes Road, where Cashman had earlier parked his Citroen Berlingo van.

He then took a bag of clothing, which Cashman had changed out of, to Snowberry Road, where the gunman’s friends lived, the court was told.