Thomas Cashman jailed for 42 years for murder of schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel

A dad convicted of the murder of schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel after he fired shots into her home in an "execution" that went "horribly wrong" has been jailed for a minimum of 42 years.

Thomas Cashman refused to attend court to hear the remarks and was sentenced in his absence because he felt the matter was “turning into a circus”.

Manchester Crown Court heard Cashman, 34, was "hell-bent" on murder as he brazenly open fire in "ruthless pursuit" of his intended victim, convicted drug dealer, Joseph Nee.

• Watch as Mrs Justice Yip passes sentence at Manchester Crown Court

After chasing Nee into Olivia's family home in Dovecot, Liverpool, he fired twice more, hitting the hand of her mother Cheryl Korbel, 46, before fatally wounding the nine-year-old on 22 August 2022.

Following an 18-day trial, a jury unanimously found Cashman guilty of murder and wounding with intent of her mother Cheryl Korbel, 46.

The 10 men and two women also found him guilty of the attempted murder of Nee and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, on Thursday 30 March.

Sentencing him to a minimum of 42 years Mrs Justice Yip said: "The defendant has not acknowledged his responsibility for Olivia's death and so has demonstrated no remorse.

"His failure to come into court is further evidence of that."

She continued: "The real gravity of this case is that a young child was shot and killed in her own home.

"As children do, Olivia was coming downstairs to seek reassurance. Cheryl Korbel should have been able to give that reassurance and to tuck her back into bed.

"What has happened instead is chilling, and strikes fear not only into the immediate community but also into minds of other children and their parents.

"Shooting into a family home with no regard for who may be caught in the crossfire is obviously a significant aggravating factor which must be reflected in the minimum term."

Cashman, a self-confessed drug dealer, faced a mandatory life sentence.

Defending Cashman, John Cooper, KC said Cashman had not attended as he was aware that the CPS were singing We are the Champions following the verdict in his trial.

He said: "He has been spoken to and been given certain advice but he is concerned that the matter is turning into a circus."

Mrs Justice Yip said she regarded his lack of attendance as "disrespectful" to not only the court but those interested in proceedings, including the family of the deceased.

In a victim personal statement Olivia's mum said she would do anything to hear her daughter "chatting away" once more.

Reading her statement from the witness box, Ms Korbel said: "It’s just so quiet. I would do anything to have her chatting to me.

"It’s so lonely without her. Everything is so quiet. I can’t cope with the silence."

Ms Korbel took to the witness stand carrying a pink teddy bear, placing it down in front of her.

She says the bear is made out of Olivia’s pyjamas and now sleeps with her in bed.

In his statement, read by the prosecution, Olivia's dad John Pratt, said he had seen his daughter for the first time in nearly two years on 21 August - the day before she was killed.

He continued: "No words can make you [Cashman] understand the pain I’m feeling".

"My heart has been forever broken by your actions.

“You took the decision to shoot into Olivia’s home with no regard to who was there.

“I want you to know you have changed my life forever.

“We will never be a whole family again. You did that to us."

During the 18-day trial Cashman admitted operating as a “high-level” cannabis dealer in the area.

Cashman, a father-of-two, said around the time of the shooting he had been at a friend’s house where he counted £10,000 in cash and smoked a spliff.

During his evidence, he told the court: “I’m not a killer, I’m a dad.”

But a woman who had a fling with Cashman told the jury he came to her house after the shooting, where he changed his clothes and she heard him say he had “done Joey”.

Sentencing to follow.