- By Lynette Horsburgh and Rachael Lazaro
- BBC News
April 3, 2023 at 15:55 CET
Updated 8 minutes ago
Image source, family handout
picture description,
The bullet that killed Olivia was fired through the front door of her home
The man who murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was sentenced to life in prison and must serve a minimum of 42 years.
Thomas Cashman, 34, refused to go to the dock for sentencing and none of his family members were present in court.
He fatally shot Olivia and injured her mother, Cheryl Korbel, while chasing another drug dealer into her Liverpool home on the evening of August 22.
The judge said his failure to appear was “disrespectful” to Olivia’s family.
John Cooper KC, who is defending himself, said Cashman did not attend the hearing as he claimed prosecutors sang “We are the Champions” after his conviction.
He said Cashman was concerned it would “turn into a circus”.
While delivering the verdict in his absence at Manchester Crown Court, Justice Amanda Yip said drug dealer Cashman was “not of previous good character” and had made it clear that he was a criminal and had “shown no remorse”.
“His failure to appear in court is further evidence of that.”
Image source, Merseyside Police
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Thomas Cashman was convicted after a more than three-week trial
Ms. Korbel was in tears and clutching a teddy bear made from her daughter’s pajamas as she gave her victim testimony on the witness stand.
“I can’t imagine Cashman continuing to shoot after hearing the horrified screams and the utter devastation he had caused,” she said.
“He does not care. His actions left the biggest hole in our lives.”
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Cheryl Korbel says Thomas Cashman left “the biggest hole in our lives”.
She added, “It’s so quiet without her, I just can’t handle the silence.”
Ms Korbel told the court she thinks about the end of the school day every afternoon, adding: “My mind keeps telling me I forgot to pick her up from school.”
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Watch: Judge issues mandatory life sentence for murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel
The jury heard that 36-year-old Joseph Nee was the intended target of the attack and that Cashman, armed with two firearms, was “in wait” for his colleague.
Olivia’s father, John Pratt, said in his victim statement that he was “heartbroken” and having “nightmares about how she died and the nightmares will not go away.”
Addressing Cashman, he said: “You denied my beautiful girl Olivia her future… I’ll never see her on her wedding day and walk her down the aisle… and see her grow into the beautiful woman she was meant to be.”
“We have been robbed of their future. Because of you, she will always be nine.”
BBC Panorama examines how Liverpool dominated the UK drug market and how organized crime brought about the death of Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
At Manchester Crown Court
Judith Moritz, BBC Northern England Correspondent
When the verdict was announced, there was breathing noise in the spectator stand.
Olivia’s mother Cheryl and other relatives cried, while some police officers also had tears in their eyes.
Outside the courtroom, Olivia’s mother and her aunts hug and cry.
It’s not just about justice for the nine-year-old and her family. It is also a moment for the whole community in Dovecot, Liverpool.
Thomas Cashman’s long imprisonment will reassure those he intimidated and who lived in fear of him. This might make them feel a little safer.
But it won’t solve the larger problems that allowed him to thrive. Drug trafficking will continue and the availability of firearms remains a problem.
Cashman’s arrest is a major victory for the police. But they know there is still work to be done to clean up the streets where he has operated.
Outside the court, Ms Korbel said: “We can now draw the line under seven months of excruciating torment endured at the hands of Cashman.
“Justice has prevailed and I cannot begin to express our relief.”
Louise Pratt, speaking on behalf of her brother Mr. Pratt, added that Olivia’s family was “happy” with the outcome but “wouldn’t celebrate as nothing will fill the void left in our lives after the loss of Olivia.” became”.
Regarding Cashman’s refusal to appear in the dock, a Justice Department source said: “Olivia Pratt-Korbel and her family had nowhere to hide from Thomas Cashman’s crimes – so he shouldn’t have anywhere to hide from justice.
“That’s exactly why the Deputy Prime Minister [Dominic Raab] is committed to changing the law so that offenders are forced to face the consequences of their actions.”